Social Science Review

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,     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. For instance, Shudra Samaj is a selective body of the Shudra Caste. The Samaj considers marriage as a social, religious, spiritual, and legal union of individuals. (Dhar, 2013). Marriage holds significant meaning in a society that is caste-based. In the Bangladeshi Hindu Samaj, inter-caste marriage is considered to be prohibited and sinful by almost all the castes. It is essential to understand how the inter-caste couple formed a marriage union. How does Samaj react towards inter-caste couples within its framework?     Read full article

Menstrual health is an integral aspect of adolescent girls’ overall well-being and reproductive health, yet it remains under-explored and inadequately addressed in many developing country contexts, including Bangladesh. Menstruation is a natural biological process that typically begins during puberty and continues throughout the reproductive years. Despite its universality, it is frequently surrounded by social taboos, misinformation, and cultural restrictions that affect how girls understand and manage their menstrual cycles (Hasan et al 2021). Adolescence is the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood marked by significant physical, psychological, and social development. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period from 10 to 19 years of age. Menstruation (period) is a normal biological process in females where blood and tissue from the uterine lining are shed through the vagina, typically on a monthly basis — part of the reproductive cycle.     Read full article

The increasing participation of women in the labor force has renovated household dynamics and reorganized outmoded child-rearing roles across societies. While this shift denotes women's growing economic independence and contributions to national development, it simultaneously introduces complex challenges in fulfilling caregiving responsibilities, particularly in the domain of child socialization (Tahilramani & Patil, 2025; Kader et al., 2024; Bala, 2021;     Read full article

The relationship between a mother and a child is credited as the blessing of the Creator. However, sometimes a mother decides to abort her unborn child. The reason should be interpreted with caution because a single perspective may lead to shadow interpretation of this sensitive, yet necessary part of reproductive health concern. Considering this analytical thinking, this study focuses on the experience of women who have gone through an abortion procedure at least once in their lifetime. In doing so, this research attempts to give voice to those who are silenced by the stereotypical socio-cultural norms in Bangladesh. From a critical medical anthropological landscape, this study shows that the decision of abortion in this country is not always optional, but rather can be forced by multi-layered socio-cultural meanings.;     Read full article

A trade war represents an economic conflict wherein nations impose tariffs or other trade barriers on each other in retaliation for perceived unfair trade practices (Corporate Finance Institute, n.d.). These disputes often arise when a country seeks to protect its domestic industries by restricting imports, leading to retaliatory measures from its trading partners. While intended to safeguard local economies, trade wars can escalate tensions, disrupt global supply chains, and have far-reaching consequences, including recessions and supply chain disruptions (Fajgelbaum & Khandelwal, 2021). Historically, trade wars have significantly affected the global economic landscape.;     Read full article

Consequently, women make up more than half of the total population of the world. The contributions that women have made to the formation of history have been just as significant as those that men have made over the course of human history. It is mandatory for the social, economic, and political development of a nation that women actively participate in activities that are carried out at the national level. On the other hand, it is ironic and terrible that women workers in general are not taken very serious by their supervisors, their coworkers, or society in general. ;     Read full article

Dietary diversity, a reflection of nutritional sufficiency, is essential to the health and academic performance of university student. They are frequently deal with changing lifestyles, fewer food alternatives, irregular meals, and budgetary restraints that impact their dietary diversity score. This study measures the dietary diversity score (DDS) and examines at how university students' dietary diversity is influenced by socioeconomic factors. Methods: Using the simple random sample technique, 411 students participated in cross-sectional study.     Read full article