Social Science Review

This article is written on the basis of the findings of research that to get insights into return migration and analyze its impact on the society and economy of Bangladesh. This is in relation to the theoretical position that the movement of the migrants and the knowledge they bring with them is a vital component in the process of globalization. The migration phenomenon is interpreted differently by saying that it is not a ‘one-way trip’ because sending countries are benefited from ‘brain gain’. It locates the potential benefits of return migration of professionals with new ideas and knowledge and non- professionals with increased skill and experience. Can the return migrants be agents of change in their country of origin? The generally perceived gains in Bangladesh from international migration include remittance payments to sending countries, reduced unemployment, and skill acquisition overseas which may be used by the return migrants for the development of the country. The process of globalization has raised the issue of ‘new brain drains’ as the recent phenomenon is the migration of knowledge-skilled people and young students to developed countries from Bangladesh. Another dark side of migration is also explored from the experiences of low-skilled return migrants who faced the atrocities of ‘modern slavery’ while working in foreign countries    Read full article

This paper investigates how Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) are transforming and adapting to the refugee camps. There are typically competing demands for cooperation and claims for governance by economic resources, which allow them to create pockets of influence over the host population. They do so through adaptive and transformative coping strategies. We sketched out these strategies and their effect on the host community. The paper draws its finding based on focused group discussions and in-depth interviews with the host communities, refugees, Camp in Charge (CIC), local NGO and INGO members, and civil society members. We argue that the local host community and refugees have a dialectical relationship in various ways and have significant consequences. The refugees are easily exploited and cast off in crimes that have escalated in the local areas, mainly impacting the local host population with increased rivalry and undermining state security. They exercise muscle power by inflicting fear and intimidation on the host population. The welfare non-cash transfers and logistics provided to refugees by development agencies are sold on the local market as they face a monetary crisis as an adaptive strategy. Adaptive strategies are when the refugees subsist with the available resources without subverting the top-down governance of the Bangladesh government and the UNHCR. Furthermore, in search of monetary exposure, refugees also leave camps to work outside as a transformative strategy, trying to transform their lives from passive aid receivers to subverting top-down governance as they are not entitled to free mobility    Read full article

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to disaster risks. For effective disaster risk reduction, the country has transformed its disaster management goal from post-disaster rehabilitation responses to pre- disaster risk reduction measures. Union Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) is the lowest tier of the disaster governance system of the country that is designed to accommodate community participation and enhance the risk reduction capacities of the communities from the bottom. The paper is designed to advance a systematic investigation of the effectiveness of the UDMCs by examining the functions and mechanisms and finding out the obstacles faced by the UDMCs at lower levels. For doing so, Document study is taken as a study method for qualitative research. The study findings show that UDMCs exhibit strong promises but face some challenges for the weakness of functioning. The low level of engagement of community people, the centralized government system, the client’s network, and the dominance of local politics create barriers to connecting the community people to broader governance. However, the UDMCs as a local-level governance body have the potential to effectually impact risk governance through effective participation and capacity building of community people    Read full article

The present study aimed to develop and validate a scale for measuring the social stigma of mental illness among the general people of Bangladesh. Group interviews were conducted focusing on social stigma with the general people of Bangladesh (n = 12), from which 40 representative quotations were identified. Cognitive interviews with health professionals and general people (n = 8) identified 18 items for the Social Stigma of Mental Illness Questionnaire (SSMIQ) scale. Two items were dropped on the basis of expert opinion. The final 16-item 1616-itemSMIQ (n = 240) was completed by a representative sample of the population. The SSMIQ was found to have excellent test-retest and internal consistency reliability. The test-retest reliability of the scale was found to be .784. Due to its single-factor structure, a 15-item version was created. The study also aimed to identify the key factors associated with stigma. Results indicated that there were significant gender differences in social stigma score (t =-2.32, p<.001) and previous history of mental illness, (t=-2.99, p<.001). The result also indicates a statistically significant difference in social stigma scores (F=19.56, p<.05) for educational level, (F=11.46, p<.05) for the living area, (F=19.87, p<.05) for socioeconomic status and (F=22.62, p<.05) for age. The SSMIQ are valid and reliable instruments that can be used in clinical and research settings.    Read full article

The social standing of PAC members in Bangladesh has been identified in this study as the level of values, ability to understand their role in the committee and the parliament as a whole, and the capacity to secure financial accountability of the executive. The social standing of PAC members depends on various factors like the level of education, profession, age, and experience of members. The variation of the level of education, occupation, and professional experience makes a mixture of PAC roles in the eighth and ninth parliament of Bangladesh. Such differences in members’ social standing keep an impact on the performance of PAC in numerous ways. These include improper debate and less outcome from PAC decisions, low frequency and duration of PAC meetings, poor attendance of members in the meeting, and the leadership role of the chairperson. Poor attendance of PAC members revealed the unwillingness of the members from the behavioral aspect to participate in the meetings.    Read full article

The news media shapes society's opinions of domestic abuse. This study examines how the media's portrayals of women as domestic violence victims raise awareness, sometimes mislead and sensationalize the issue for profit, and blame victims. The search for victims' acts, violence's causes, and fault has dominated media coverage. This image helps abusers rationalize their behaviour and makes it hard for victims, while public opinion perceives victims negatively. Since the media exposes their identities and characteristics, victims focus on proving their innocence rather than seeking justice. These findings encourage gender-inclusive domestic violence prevalence discussions. The findings show that media coverage of domestic violence emphasizes spectacular news and high-profile occurrences while downplaying the issue's gravity. This strategy may lead to incorrect reporting, victim blaming, and character assassination, distracting from justice and inspiring sympathy for offenders. Thus, the media fails to present domestic violence as a pattern of planned assault, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and hindering effective solutions. These findings suggest critically analyzing media representations of domestic abuse and advocating for more responsible as well as equitable reporting.    Read full article

Participatory Budgeting in local government is considered very significant for establishing good governance, enhancing social accountability, and legitimizing ruling power. The budgeting process promises quality service against the popular demand at the local level as well. The local government structure of Bangladesh is also actively establishing different avenues of public participation in the governance for initiating democratic decentralization. Among them, the Open Budget Meeting (OBM) is considered significant to connect the popular demand and local-level resource allocation at once. However, this study aims to measure the level of public participation in the local government (Union Parishad) budgeting process, to identify the major obstacles, and assess the spaces of participation left untouched. Following a cross-sectional quantitative approach, Arnstein’s ladder of public participation has been used in this study to fulfill the research objectives. A total of 392 samples were collected using the survey method from Joypurhat and Dhaka district of Bangladesh following a semi-structured questionnaire. Major findings of the study showed that the public participation quality in the local government budgeting context is at the “therapy level”. Results represent that the existing public participatory mechanism in the local government budgeting contexts (OBM) is merely eye-washing rather than ensuring actual citizen participation. People cannot influence budgeting decisions through the existing open budget meetings at all. The therapy level of public participation indicates that the OBM is set only for projecting to the people that they have an opportunity to participate and attain public trust, legitimacy, and support for the government rather than using OBM to enhance actual public participation indeed. However, the government of Bangladesh must re-examine and bring contextual amendments to the legal backgrounds of OBM- the Local Government Act (Union Parishad)-2009 as well as the operational manual for OBM at large. Furthermore, other respective authorities and related bodies must need to make necessary initiatives for ensuring effective public participation in the local government budgeting of Bangladesh.    Read full article

This paper presents the relationship between transportation and national security in different aspects. The main research question is - What is the relationship between transportation and national security? The qualitative methodology has been applied in this research and is based on a literature review. Bangladesh has been considered as a case in the research. The finding is that the relationship between transportation and national security is very much complex. Both liberalism and realist theories support the positive relationship between transportation and traditional and non-traditional security, and at the same time, they also showed the negative relationship between them. Both theories argued the antagonistic relationship between environmental security (non-traditional) and transportation. From Bangladesh's perspective, traditional security's most valuable part is economic security, which is benefited from internal and external transportation, but transportation makes a massive threat to every non- traditional security sector    Read full article

Bangladesh and Myanmar are close neighbors sharing both land and maritime border. Historically, the southern part of Bangladesh had been linked with the Rakhine state of Myanmar. After the independence of Bangladesh, the official relations between the countries commenced in 1972 following Myanmar’s recognition. After that many visits of state leaders took place but the relationship can’t develop more due to some issues like Myanmar’s military rule, the Rohingya crisis etc. It is rational that the neighboring countries can have some bilateral disputes but that does not mean that they will be away from economic and other engagements. In the age of globalization, all states are interrelated and interconnected to each other. From this point of view, the study is designed to understand the strategic significance of Bangladesh-Myanmar bilateral relations. The study deals with the two research questions-why are Bangladesh-Myanmar relations strategically important? And how can both countries develop relations with each other? The study is qualitative in nature and based on descriptive and narrative methods. The study takes secondary data by reviewing newspapers, related articles, books, international organizations reports, and government reports. The study uncovered that from both geo- political and economic points of view, Bangladesh and Myanmar are significant to each other. Despite the Rohingya crisis both countries need to work together. Myanmar is important for Bangladesh to attain its strategic objective aiming at fostering connectivity with China and ASEAN countries. Conversely, Bangladesh is significant to Myanmar for its geostrategic location. Myanmar may utilize the Chittagong port and the upcoming deep- sea port of Bangladesh for her imported products which will reduce cargo costs. Additionally, in recent times Bangladesh has experienced remarkable economic growth and amazing development in the agro-economic sector that may attract Myanmar to flourish in its agro-economic sector.    Read full article

The current research is related to educated women empowerment in Bangladesh, where Rajshahi metropolis has been selected as the research area. Information has been collected from 81 women purposively selected from 3 wards of Rajshahi city through social survey. The present research has been conducted with three objectives in mind, namely-to-know the socio-economic context of educated women empowerment in Bangladesh, the current status of women empowerment and the impact of women empowerment in urban Bangladesh. It can be seen that, the selected women in the research are educated and for being educated, they are involved in various earning activities. As a result of which women can participate in family decision-making process. Besides, almost all the women included in the study have their own savings. So it can be said that, the women of Bangladesh are currently pioneers in terms of empowerment.    Read full article

The topic aims to analyze and compare the electoral management systems in Bangladesh and the United States of America (USA). The study is examining the legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, actors and the role of technology in the electoral management process of both countries. By comparing both countries, the study is identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their respective electoral management process based on their guiding principles (independence, impartiality, integrity, transparency, accountability, efficiency, professionalism, and rule of law) and draw lessons for improving electoral integrity and democratic governance in Bangladesh. The research is based on a combination of desk research, interviews, and comparative analysis of electoral data. The study is relevant to academics, policymakers, civil society organizations, and electoral management bodies interested in promoting free and fair elections and democratic governance.   Read full article

Active play has important benefits for children’s social development, physical health, and mental well-being, but many children do not meet the recommended hours of playtime. This study attempts to understand the present state of affairs regarding children’s access to play in Rajshahi City. It examines the factors that motivate and limit children’s active play. This study is qualitative and was conducted in Rajshahi City using focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) research techniques. A total of 15 FGDs were carried out, of which eight were with children and seven were with parents. Data were also collected through KIIs from different stakeholders, including the city mayor, councilors, urban planners, sports academics, and government officials, who are active in ensuring children’s access to play. The study revealed that children were enthusiastic to participate in active play because they got direct benefits from it. However, children’s play was limited by several factors, including a lack of playgrounds and open spaces, excessive study pressure, security issues, the addiction to electronic games, and a lack of siblings and cousins due to nuclear family. Beyond such constraints, it is needed to ensure children’s access to play by supporting all sorts from the different corners of the state and society, including local government, schools, families, and neighbors. A comprehensive plan of action is required, and it is a fundamental concern to protect children’s right to play and to explore their physical and social world through playing.    Read full article

The study explores the relationship between service process simplification and customer satisfaction within the context of a governmental service setting, focusing on the Gopalganj passport office. The study aims to find out the impact of streamlined service processes on customer experiences and satisfaction levels. Using a mixed methods approach data was collected through structured questionnaires administered to customers and semi-structured questionnaires conducted with staff members. Findings revealed that the majority of customers expressed high levels of satisfaction with the simplified service processes, opportunities for further enhancement were identified particularly in technological integration, streamlined procedures and accessibility improvements. Staff perspectives highlighted the positive impact of simplification initiatives on efficiency, yet underscored the need for continuous training and technological updates. The study emphasizes the significance of a customer centric approach, combined with regular training, technological advancement, streamlined processes and effective communication channels as the key drivers for fostering an efficient accessible and customer- friendly passport office environment.    Read full article

Widowhood is a significant life transition that often brings profound changes to a woman’s physical well-being, especially in rural settings where support systems are limited. In this study, the profound impact of widowhood on the physical well-being of women is explored in the Parila Union, Paba Upazila, Rajshahi District, Bangladesh. The main objective of this study was to assess the differences in health status before and after widowhood and to identify the key factors influencing these health outcomes. Conducted across 16 villages, social survey method was employed to comprehensively examine the experiences of 201 widows. The findings revealed a significant shift in health status during post-widowhood, with approximately 75% of widows facing various physical health challenges. Moreover, 80% of the widows reported an escalation in the severity of their illnesses after widowhood. This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions and support systems, emphasizing the pivotal roles of social support networks, economic stability, and individual coping mechanisms in mitigating health issues during widowhood. The significance of culturally sensitive healthcare services is highlighted to address the unique challenges faced by these widows in their cultural context. This research contributes to a broader understanding of the impact of widowhood and advocates for empowering rural widows to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.    Read full article

This article aims to present a comprehensive framework for researchers exploring the impacts of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on youth culture. By reviewing previous studies in this field, the research evaluates methodologies employed to understand how ICTs influence the cultural practices of contemporary youth. Through an examination of relevant literature, the study highlights the effectiveness of various research approaches, emphasizing mixed methods as the most robust strategy for investigating this area. This work serves as a valuable guide for novice researchers, offering insights into designing studies that effectively capture the dynamic interplay between ICTs and youth culture.    Read full article

Menstruation is a natural and very much essential biological process that experience by adolescent girls and women of reproductive working age. In the country of Bangladesh, menstruation often has surrounded by socio-cultural limitations and taboos that lead to adverse health outcomes for adolescent girls. The study has been carried out to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and experiences around menstruation and the barriers they face, disposing of menstrual products and the health seeking behavior during menstrual problems of adolescent girls and young adult women. This study focused on two major slums namely Vatar Khal Slum and Stadium Colony Slum in Barishal. The study has been conducted by mixed method containing with quantitative and qualitative research approaches. There are 110 sample used for survey. Besides 04 case studies, 03 key information interviews (KIIs), 02 focus group discussion (FGDs) have been chosen for in-depth study as qualitative method. Only 18.19% of the respondents have the knowledge about menstruation. Majority of the girls are found to use cloth during their menstrual period. They were suffering from health problems related to menstruation. Out of all only 30% of the girls consulted to the doctors about menstrual health problem. The findings of the study indicate the unhealthy practices of menstrual management are very highly prevalent that affect their reproductive health.    Read full article

A well-known and widely-used spice crop is turmeric. Additionally, turmeric has various health benefits. Turmeric farming, processing, and marketing are well known in Fulbaria Upazilla of the Mymensingh District. Our study provided an estimate of the profitability, issues, and future of turmeric farming in Fulbaria Upazilla. Fulbaria Upazilla is home to a large number of turmeric farmers. Using a carefully constructed questionnaire, information was gathered from 100 farmers. The research showed that growing turmeric is a successful farming industry. The residents of the study region benefit financially from the sale of turmeric. The BCR of the farmers in this sample was 1.41. It suggests that turmeric farms with BCRs above 1 have greater benefits than costs. In other words, it offers gains overall. In our study location, producing turmeric is a significant farm enterprise. Numerous factors, including seed cost, labor cost, irrigation cost, transportation cost, etc., had a favorable impact on gross return in the research area. However, farmers deal with several issues, such as a lack of funding, a shortage of storage facilities for turmeric, a poor market price for spice, and natural disasters. The goal of this research is to identify the economic value of producing turmeric and offer answers to certain challenges. Furthermore, it will offer suggestions for utilizing contemporary modern technologies to improve the situation of turmeric production and processing.    Read full article

Work-family conflict (WFC) affects people of all countries and cultural backgrounds. However, in diverse communities characterized by distinct cultures, the kind and measure are likely to differ. This study delves into the intricate dynamics of work-family conflicts married teachers’ face in the ever-changing setting of Bangladeshi public universities. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, incorporating surveys, statistical analysis, and in-depth interviews (IDI), to acknowledge the complex relationship between work and family obligations. An online based Google survey and a simple random sampling technique have been employed to obtain the data. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, and independent sample t-test were employed to assess the data. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges that married teachers encounter, we surveyed 120 respondents from various public institutions, occupations, and demographic backgrounds for the quantitative data, and we conducted 22 in-depth interviews for the qualitative data. Our study shows male and female teachers experience work-family difficulties due to excessive workloads, long hours, and rigid work schedules. Furthermore, the average scores for work-family conflict, life happiness, and job satisfaction are 49.63 ± 13.15, 15.19 ± 4.63, and 3.45 ± 0.74, respectively. The results showed a negative association between work-family conflict and life satisfaction and job satisfaction. Satisfaction with one's work life correlates positively with general well-being. The results strongly recommend flexible work schedules, family support programs, and efforts to address the specific challenges married teachers face, which have policy implications for organizations.    Read full article

In any country or society higher education is acknowledged as an instrument for social change. Generally, there are three-layer mainstream educational levels in Bangladesh such as; primary, secondary, and tertiary where female education comprehends all levels of education. The prime objective of this study is to reveal the participation of female students in tertiary education which includes honors and masters level. It is the highest academic and institutional layer of conventional education where female pupils can shape them to be empowered. Although women are increasingly completing higher education, it remains crucial to women's empowerment in the country. So that it assesses how post-secondary education impact women's empowerment to harmonize against the patriarchal society like in Bangladesh. It will also highlight some barriers which hinder emancipation of women to access to policy level, leadership roles, adequate research and study opportunities, IT competency, financial solvency, sociocultural recognition, participation in relevant extracurricular activities, and so on. Finally, this study will discuss government initiatives and suggest some recommendations to overcome women’s position to succeed in advancing gender equality.    Read full article

Poverty continues to be a barrier to progress in Bangladesh as 20.5 % of the population still resides below the poverty line. While there have been advancements in many development spheres over the last decade, regional gaps, socioeconomic disparities, and structural hurdles remain prevalent. This study utilizes institutional theory to investigate the influence of factors, governance frameworks, and specific interventions on poverty levels in the country. The study reveals poverty alleviation programs, like poverty reduction initiatives, microfinance projects, and cash transfer schemes by analysing information, from government reports and academic sources as well as survey data sources. From 2010 to 2019 in Bangladesh, there was a decline in poverty rates from 31.5% to 20.5%. This improvement is credited to growth and effective government projects such as the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program, investments in rural infrastructure, and other initiatives.    Read full article

Bangladesh is a patriarchal and traditional society where women constitute more than half of the total population. The total estimated population of Bangladesh is over 174 million, with females accounting for approximately 50.43% and males for 49.51%. The constitutional provisions of Bangladesh ensure equal rights and status for both men and women. This study explores women's electoral participation in rural areas of Bangladesh, with a focus on local elections. By combining qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques, the study aims to analyze trends and dynamics of women's engagement in electoral processes and assess their position within the political landscape.    Read full article

This paper presents the social exclusion and socio-economic condition of tea plantation workers in the context of Moulvibazar district in Bangladesh. Tea plantation workers are one of the backward, marginalized, and vulnerable peoples who are isolated from mainstream community for many years. Qualitative data collection and purposive sampling method was taken. This paper deals with literacy, health, sanitation, education, and other socio-economic conditions; attempts to understand how the poor rate and situation of these issues lead to exclusion of tea plantation workers from different aspects of society. Finally, it suggests some recommendations and measures for scaling up their standard of education, health, social acceptance, and overall life.    Read full article

Economy is the base for development and the pattern of economy determines the nature of growth and overall developmental scenario of a country. This economy (informal sector) includes diverse set of economic activities (street vending, open space food court), enterprises jobs, and workers that are not regulated or protected by the state. The concept actually applied to self-employment in small unregistered enterprises. Our population is increasing drastically as well over the year’s education rate is also increasing but government cannot afford formal sector employment for all. In this context a huge number of informal employment is taking place in recent years for example increasing number of beauty parlor, restaurants, street vendors, food court etc. As consequences planned urbanization become threatened, illegal activities in various social institutions is increasing at the same time local leaders are taking extra advantage from the informal workers. Moreover, though the informal sector is not acknowledged by the government and protected by the state law the persons those are involved in this sector always faced eviction, abduction of goods or even permanent displacement from their business location.     Read full article

The police profession is renowned for its demanding and stressful work environments. Police personnel worldwide face unique stressors that can contribute to psychological distress. This cross sectional study explored the prevalence and predictors of psychological distress among police personnel in Bangladesh. A total of 267 police personnel were purposively selected from three divisions of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rajshahi. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire survey, incorporating the Bangla versions of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Bergen Insomnia Scale, and Work Family Conflict Scale. Demographic and work-related information was gathered through a personal information questionnaire. To achieve the study objectives, independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted.     Read full article

Caesarean section (CS) delivery is typically performed to address urgent obstetric emergencies and to optimize health outcomes for both mothers and their newborns (Khan et al., 2022). Nonetheless, the world has witnessed an influx in CS delivery rates over recent decades, with recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicating that CS now represents 1 in 5 childbirths (World Health Organization, 2021). The number of births by caesarean delivery was 16 million in 2000, accounting 12.1% of all live births, and within two decades, this figure increased to 29.7 million, representing 21.1% of all live births in 2021 (Betran et al., 2021). It is expected that CS delivery rate will continue climbing over the next decade, with projections suggesting that by 2030, nearly a third (29%) of all births could be performed by CS delivery (World Health Organization, 2021, Betran et al., 2021). Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are anticipated to see 33.5 million CS deliveries by 2030 (Betran et al., 2021).     Read full article

Mobile Banking Services (MBS) refer to the activities and financial transactions that users can perform using smartphones or other mobile devices. Secure and convenient financial services, available at any time and from anywhere with internet connectivity, allow users to utilize MBS (Islam et al., 2017).     Read full article

Marriage in Hindu society is not just a tie of two individuals; it is a sacred contract shaped by caste, tradition, and the powerful influence of Samaj. Caste, marriage, and samaj are correlated to each other in various ways among the Hindus of the Indian subcontinent. Samaj is a caste-based collective body that oversees the regulatory matters of a specific caste or community..     Read full article