Abstract: The Sundarbans, located in the trans-border region of Bangladesh and India, constitute the biggest mangrove forest in the world and provide a wide range of goods and services to many coastal people. But the value of these provisioning services is not well understood, particularly in the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF) in Bangladesh, despite their crucial role in biodiversity conservation and the economy of local communities. This study determined the worth of SRF's provisioning services based on fuelwood, fish, shrimp, honey, and wax income. Field investigation, economic analysis based on the producer's surplus approach, and GIS framework were used. In this study, SRF's provisioning value is estimated to be US$145.2 million/year. Moreover, this study also showed that households, particularly those with lower and middle incomes, rely significantly on mangrove forest products for their livelihoods. The lowest income group's households depend heavily on forest products for their survival since they lack land and resources for agriculture or livestock. As a result, a larger share of their income comes from the forest. With nine upazilas (sub-districts) near the SRF and around 4 million resource-dependent people living there, sustainable coastal zone management is crucial for reducing severe poverty. Therefore, effective management plans for the SRF must ensure continuous access to forest resources for local people, particularly for sustaining the livelihoods of the poorest. Adopting a co-management approach in the SRF is likely to be the strategy that both improves local people’s quality of life and most effectively conserves coastal biodiversity.

Green banking is becoming an everyday practice around the globe, similar to developing nations like Bangladesh. This study aims to assess the banking system's environmental burden by leveraging Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a methodology widely used for environmental footprint assessment. The study pioneers the formation of a comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) for the banking system in Bangladesh, distinguishably comparing the environmental footprints of urban versus rural and private versus public banks. This national Life Cycle Inventory not only compares the environmental performances of urban versus rural and private versus public banks but also serves as a crucial stepping stone for future research in sustainable banking practices. This study follows the ISO framework to conduct LCA of the banking system in Bangladesh at different branch levels. The total deposit of money per year in million BDT is considered as a functional unit and activities conducted inside a branch within the country are considered as System Boundary. In the assessment, OpenLCA is used for modeling while ReCiPe-2008 is used for assessing the lifecycle impact of the entire process. The study results reveal that Marine ecotoxicity is the primary contributor (1.1 kg 1,4 -DCB) to the overall banking system in Bangladesh, followed by freshwater ecotoxicity (0.81 kg 1,4-DCB) and Human carcinogenic toxicity (0.61 kg 1,4-DCB. However, the Global warming potential is identified as 27.22 kg CO2-eq for every million BDT deposited in an economic year. The hotspot analysis of the study indicates that in most impact categories, electricity production has the most significant environmental footprint. However, computer use and fossil fuel production play a noteworthy role in the categories of human non-carcinogenic toxicity and fossil resource depletion, because of their wide range of materials used in production. The study concludes that public and rural commercial banks pose more loopholes to improve greener banking practices as public banks and rural branches serve more customers with fewer facilities over a large area. It offers actionable options for policymakers and financial institutions, with substantial insights, guiding them to thrive in their operation in a direction where economic prosperity and environmental sustainability are in harmony. Article Highlights Complete Life Cycle Inventory of LCA study on the banking sector in Bangladesh. Marine ecotoxicity is the primary contributor, and electricity production has the most significant environmental footprint. Operations of the branches of public banks and rural branches are more suitable options to improve.

Abstract: Gut nematode worms are important parasites of people and other animals. The parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis infects an estimated 600 million people worldwide and is one of the soil-transmitted helminthiases, a WHO-defined neglected tropical disease. It has long been suggested that human S. stercoralis infection may be a zoonosis from dogs. We investigated this by whole genome sequence analysis of S. stercoralis from sympatric human and dog populations in Asia. We find that human- and dog-derived S. stercoralis have genetically distinct nuclear genomes, but we also find evidence of rare cross-infection. Analysis of the S. stercoralis mitochondrial genome reveals evidence of historical introgression between human- and dog-derived parasites. Based on these data, we suggest that S. stercoralis was originally a parasite of canids, that began to infect humans when people domesticated dogs, since when human- and dog-derived parasites have differentiated, but have not become separate species.

Coastal communities in Bangladesh are experiencing substantial livelihood impacts from climate change and natural hazards, largely owing to their dependence on climate-sensitive natural resources. However, there is a paucity of research regarding the effects of climate change on the livelihood capitals of coastal communities in southeastern Bangladesh. In this study, we examined perceptions of local communities (elderly people) on climate change and associated impacts on livelihood capital in the past 30 years in seven villages in southeastern coastal Bangladesh. Following the stratified simple random sampling technique, we collected data by interviewing 170 households near the coast (within 1 km) and 150 households away from the coast (1–3 km), using a pretested questionnaire and conducting two focus group discussions. We also employed the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) to analyze villager livelihoods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data to comprehensively understand local livelihoods. The results indicated that respondents, regardless of their coastal proximity, possess substantial knowledge of climate change due to their extensive experiences. Over 80% of respondents across the locations perceived that temperature, summer duration, erratic rainfall, storms, and lightning have intensified over the past 30 years. A significantly higher number of respondents residing near the coast (p ≤ 0.05) perceived an increase in the frequency of tidal surges over the past 30 years, while a significantly higher number of respondents living away from the coast (p ≤ 0.05) reported a decrease in the availability of surface water. About 60–96% of respondents residing near the coast, significantly differing from those living away from the coast, reported that climate change had a medium to high impact on human, physical, natural, and social capital, and these adverse effects have significantly influenced the financial capital of respondents. These impacts on different capitals made respondents living near the coast more vulnerable. In response to adapting to these adverse effects on livelihood capitals, they have implemented various livelihood strategies, with opportunities for further diversification.

The study focused on the urban floodplain alteration in Chittagong city in Bangladesh, a megacity with a population exceeding 7 million, from 1992 to 2022. Despite recommendations to allocate 25% of the urban floodplains for rainwater retention and recharge, 70% of these areas have been filled for construction, leading to waterlogging. Utilizing remote sensing (RS) and GIS technologies, this study investigated alterations in land use and land cover (LULC), with a specific focus on changes occurring in urban floodplains’ surface water bodies, vegetation, and urban areas, as well as decadal alteration of the urban floodplain by other LULC classes. The urban floodplain in the city decreased with an annual average alteration of 164.03 ha (4.5% of the present-time floodplain) from 1992 to 2022. The most substantial change occurred from 1992 to 2001, calculating 31.4% of the initial floodplain. Over 80% of wards (electoral subdivision of a City Corporation) experienced more than 50% alterations, driven by urbanization. The CA-ANN model predicted a further 16.1% change by 2030, underscoring the need for sustainable urban planning and conservation, including enforcing landuse regulations and allocating open spaces to mitigate waterlogging in the urban ecosystem.

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) affects urban air quality and poses significant health risks. In this study, we measured ambient PM levels and heavy metal concentrations at six vegetated and one non-vegetated (control) roadside locations in Chattogram City, Bangladesh. Using a portable air quality sensor, we assessed ambient PM0.5 and PM2.5 concentrations every 15 days over the course of one year and found that the mean concentrations of PM0.5 and PM2.5 in the control site were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than those at the vegetated roadsides. We also investigated whether roadside trees can effectively remove PM and collected 84 leaf samples from seven tree species each month to quantify PM deposition on the leaves. PM concentrations in the air and on the leaves were higher during the dry season compared to the rainy season. Further analysis of meteorological factors revealed that PM accumulation on the leaves decreased with high temperature, wind speed, and precipitation. These findings suggest that meteorological conditions play a crucial role in PM dynamics, influencing both airborne concentration and accumulation on leaves. Besides, tree species and leaf characteristics play a substantial role in PM accumulation on the leaves. Copper and zinc were in the accumulated PM along all roadsides, indicating the possibility of heavy metal contamination. We propose planting roadside trees with rhomboid, elliptical, rough, and simple leaves to enhance the removal of PM and other contaminants through deposition.

Tropical Forests play a significant role in providing ecosystem services such as biomass carbon, timber, and tree species diversity. However, variations in sampling layouts such as plot sizes and shapes in forest inventory can cause discrepancies in the estimation of tree biomass carbon, thus hindering planning, sustainable forest management, and conservation of tropical forests. We estimated tree growing stocks (tree density, seedling density, basal area, stand volume, and above-ground biomass carbon) and tree species diversity (Shannon-Wiener Index and Jaccard Index) using different sampling layout in Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) of Southeastern Bangladesh. The results obtained from different plot sizes and shapes were compared to those derived from a complete enumeration of 1 ha (10,000 m2) of the same forest land. We also estimated coefficient of variation (CV %) and evaluated optimal plot size and shape in terms of estimation accuracy and time efficiency. The survey was carried out in 450 concentric plots (50 points with three sample plot sizes of 400, 900, and 1134 m2 under circular, rectangular, and square plot shapes) where all trees and bamboo with a DBH of ≥ 5 cm were measured. Moreover, three subplots with a size of 4, 9, and 20 m2 were placed to count the number of seedlings in three different shapes, thus making a total of 450 subplots in 50 points. Our results revealed that tree density, basal area, stand volume and AGBC were 4652, 38 m2, 526 m3, and 98 Mg per hectare, respectively, in the complete enumeration. Tree growing stocks and Shannon-Wiener index estimated in the large (1134 m2) circular plots were close to those in the complete enumeration. The seedling density in small circular subplots was highest. The lower CV% values observed for all these attributes in large circular plots indicated higher accuracy in estimation. We recommend, large (1134 m2) circular plots to estimate growing stocks and tree species diversity while large (19 m2) circular subplots to estimate seedling density in hill forests.

While climate change impacts the entire world, the people of Bangladesh bear a disproportionately heavy burden. Situated at the forefront of extreme climatic events such as cyclone, flood, saltwater intrusion, drought, and heavy rainfall, they face severe vulnerabilities. Coastal communities have been facing climate change impacts and livelihood threats for some time now. Hatiya – a coastal Upazila (sub-district) of the Noakhali District in Bangladesh faced extreme climatic and socio-economic challenges in the recent past. To understand the climate change-induced risks and vulnerabilities of Hatiya Upazila, it is vital to understand the socioeconomic and livelihood vulnerability index of this area. In this study, the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI), Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index (SeVI) and Livelihood Vulnerability Index-Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change ​(LVI-IPCC) vulnerability index have been analyzed to evaluate the impacts of climate change on the livelihood and socioeconomic profile of the affected communities of Hatiya. A total of 150 household surveys and 11 Focus Group Discussions have been conducted in Hatiya Upazila for this purpose following purposive random sampling. The collected data included livelihood strategies, social network & communications, food, health, water, social, economic, physical, and climatic disaster & variability. All these vulnerability indicators were divided into 7 sub-components of LVI, and 5 subcomponents of SeVI, forming indicators to measure the desired vulnerability index. The index was formed by three IPCC endorsed climate change vulnerability indicators i.e., exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The LVI value of Hatiya Upazila was found to be 0.495, which indicated that Hatiya has a medium vulnerability in terms of livelihood. Based on the weighted average scores, Hatiya was found to be the most vulnerable due to natural hazards (0.729), while indicators within this domain revealed that the highest percentage (64.6%) of households lost their property and other resources during natural hazards. In addition, Hatiya possessed a high level of socio-economic vulnerability (0.704). Livelihood Strategies become less diversified with the increased deterioration rate of natural resources such as fishing, agriculture, forest resources, etc. Most of the households were found to have weak Social Network & Communications as they did not go to the local government or others for any kind of help, so the score for these components (0.722) was in the highly vulnerable range of LVI. However, the LVI-IPCC value of the study area was 0.027, indicating medium vulnerability. The SeVI index value for Hatiya Upazila was 0.704 which indicated high vulnerability and social, and economic vulnerability mostly influenced by natural hazards. The average indexed values of the three LVI-IPCC climate change contributing factors such as adaptive capacity, exposure, and sensitivity of Hatiya Upazila were 0.631, 0.573, and 0.465 respectively. This study can be a baseline for vulnerability assessment of climate change-affected communities in coastal Bangladesh and the government can take proper initiatives to facilitate adaptive capacity to reduce the climate change vulnerability of the local communities.

Canopy openings have a vital role in forest structure, regeneration, and plant composition. In this study, we investigated and compared the species composition and densities of seedlings and saplings between canopy gaps (openings) and forest understories (in dense canopies) in a sub-tropical forest of Bangladesh. We objectively identified 42 canopy openings between transect lines and 42 main plots in dense canopies, sampled for regeneration and young tree patterns. For the regeneration study, we placed 2 m×2 m four subplots in each canopy opening and the main plot of dense canopy, thus making a total of 336 subplots. The species diversity of seedlings, saplings, and trees were significantly (P≤0.05) higher in the dense canopy than in the canopy opening. Although, most dominant and frequent regenerating species such as Diospyros pilosula, Garcinia cowa, Brownlowia elata, and Lithocarpus polystachya were common in both dense canopy and openings, the canopy openings had the highest Importance Value Index, suggesting the significance of gap dynamics in the dominance of native floral species. The dense canopy played an important role in forest compositions because 12 regenerating species, including Stereospermum suaveolens and Diospyros montana, were not found in the canopy openings, implying that rain forests must maintain a high canopy cover for regeneration.

The 8th Digital Belt and Road Conference. Center for International Academic Exchange Suzhou, Nanjing University (Suzhou Campus), Taihu Lake Avenue, High tech Zone, Suzhou, China, 23-24 October 2024

Poster presentation

Community-conserved areas (CCA) have the potential to improve local ecological knowledge, ecosystem services, livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation. This study examined the sustainability and community management structure of two recently established CCAs in Sabah, Malaysia. Data were gathered using Ostrom’s design principles (ODP), content analysis, and focus group discussions. Both CCAs met all eight ODPs and were sustainably maintained by their communities through the evolution of several endogenous CCA management structures. Land tenure security for CCA sustainability may be enhanced through formal recognition (ODP-7), nested enterprises (ODP-8), and conflict resolution (ODP-6). The findings reveal that indigenous communities can sustainably manage their natural resources and suggest ways to improve CCA management. Inclusion of indigenous communities in legal frameworks and CCA management should be fostered in the National Forestry Policy. The concept of CCA can be promoted elsewhere towards conserving natural resources and empowering communities for their wellbeing.

The 5th International Symposium on Earth Observation for Arid and Semi-Arid Environments. Laining Hotel, Kashi, Xinjiang, China, 27-29 September 2024.

Presented at the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2024 on Intertwining Sustainability with Mission Life: Fashion, Entrepreneurship and Cultural Integration in Harmony held on 14-15 March 2024 in NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY GANDHINAGAR organized by the MINISTRY OF TEXTILES, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Forest and landscape restoration is considered worldwide as a powerful approach to recovering ecological functionality and improving human well-being in degraded and deforested landscapes. A comprehensive study including the social, ecological, management, and regulatory aspects of restoration projects can help to understand the sustainability of these interventions. The purpose of this study was to comprehend the principles of Bangladeshi community-based forest restoration (CBFR) projects. Empirical data was collected from four CBFR projects, of which two were Bangladesh forest department (BFD)-led and two were community-led. We used a comprehensive list of principles covering management and governance issues and human and ecological aspects along with Ostrom’s design principles. Data were collected through 223 semi-structured interviews, four focus group discussions, and personal observation. A 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree) was used to assess participants’ agreement on different statements of principles. In BFD-led projects, participants had restricted harvesting rights, state control over management, land, planning, and the formation of rules, and they perceived lower scores for some important statements (e.g., project planning, selection of tree species, local knowledge, income generation activities, livelihood benefits, food security, and skill development). Therefore, participants presumed that these CBFR projects are moderately sustainable. On the other hand, participants in community-led projects scored high (mean score above 4.0) for most of the principles across different aspects, and a bundle of Ostrom’s design principles was also observed. Hence, the evidence of sustainability in community-led CBFR projects is high. Project authorities in developing countries can take lessons from this study and undertake appropriate actions toward the sustainability of forest restoration programs.

Increasing population, economic activities, and the associated factors put a serious strain on municipal solid waste management in developing nations. We assessed the amount of solid waste generated and elucidated the existing management practices at household level in Mymensingh City Corporation, Bangladesh. We also investigated residents’ perceptions and attitudes on waste management and their awareness on waste-induced health and environmental problems. Data were gathered by a questionnaire survey of 352 households and two key informants’ interviews. The Kruskal-Wallis H and Pearson Chi-Squared tests were used for statistical analysis. Results show that a household generated about 0.62 kg of waste per day of which 99% was organic. Following the door-to-door approach, the city corporation collects unsegregated waste. More than 50% of the households reused fresh food waste as green fertilizer, and either reused or sold paper, metal, and plastic waste. Small, higher-income, and educated households generated higher amounts of organic waste than their counterparts. Respondents were satisfied with the existing door-to-door waste collection system, like to use of bioenergy and organic fertilizer, and were willing to pay for sustainable and eco-friendly waste management. More than 80% of respondents were aware of public health and environmental issues caused by waste mismanagement. The corporation has a plan to establish an energy and compost plant for which we suggest providing incentives for source segregation and designated bins to households. The city planners can take the findings of this study as useful baseline information for planning sustainable municipal solid waste management.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a significant global health concern, and mass vaccination is essential in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Undergraduate students need to be prioritized for vaccination as they continue their academic curriculum physically. However, limited research explores vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among undergraduate students in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study evaluated vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among this population. Method: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2021 using a structured questionnaire to assess COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among undergraduate students in Bangladesh. The Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale was used to measure vaccine hesitancy. The study used convenient sampling. Result: Across the country, 334 undergraduate students participated in this study on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, with a mean age of 22.4 years. Most participants were male and unmarried, most having spent four years at university. 89.52% of participants would accept a COVID-19 vaccine if it were suggested by educational institutions or available, while 4.49% refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants showed low levels of vaccine hesitancy, with a mean score of 10.77 on the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale. Most participants had a positive attitude towards receiving the vaccine, with the majority wanting to get it as soon as it becomes available. No association was found between vaccine acceptance and participants' background characteristics. Conclusion: Our study found a high level of vaccine acceptance among undergraduate students in Bangladesh, indicating that this group can be vaccinated quickly, significantly accelerating vaccination goals. However, further large-scale studies are recommended among vulnerable groups, including school and college students, to ensure vaccine preparedness.

The 7th Digital Belt and Road Conference. Beijing, China, 4–6 September 2023.

The textile industry significantly contributes to global environmental deterioration. Bangladesh, as a top knitwear exporter also plays a part in this degradation. Globally, there is a lack of readily available life cycle inventory (LCI) data that could be utilized to make decisions for minimizing environmental impact from this sector. Our endeavor is an attempt to address this lacuna. The study adopts a life cycle approach to evaluate the environmental impacts as well as the water footprint of the Bangladeshi textile industry with a particular focus on knitwear through rigorous field surveys and expert interviews. The assessment for both environmental impact and water footprint singled out fiber production to be responsible for most environmental externalities. The study also calculated the environmental impact of using alternative fiber such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and recycled cotton and compared it to the existing practice of knitwear production; results of which indicate that employing alternative fiber was not only less damaging to the environment but also was economically more beneficial. Furthermore, the study analyzes three decades of revenue and emission data to project greenhouse gas (GHG) emission probability of the textile industry till 2030 for both business-as-usual scenario and alternative practices (alternative fiber composition). The projection shows that adopting alternative practices can decrease the GHG emission potential of current practices by 32%–82%. Additionally, the study provides an exhaustive LCI for knitwear production which can be used for further development of sustainable solutions and practices of the global textile industry.

The consequences of converting primary forests to agriculture and pasture on soil carbon (C) and nutrient stocks are important, although they are little known in tropical forests. In the Sitapahar forest of Bangladesh, we evaluated soil C and nutrient concentrations and stocks among intact, fragmented, and shifting cultivation sites. We also investigated whether there are any correlations between nutrient stocks and tree species diversity or soil C stock. We measured and identified the trees in 30 main plots (20 m × 20 m), 10 in each of the three sites. Four subplots (1 m × 1 m each) were used to measure the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil at depths of 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm. Results show that during shifting cultivation as compared to intact sites, soil C stock was 50% lower whereas soil P stock was 26% greater. When compared to the other two sites, the soil N and K stocks under the shifting cultivation site were 57% and 27% greater, respectively. Soil Mg stock in the intact site was up to 155% higher compared to the other two sites. In all sites, soil C stock was positively correlated with N stock, but negatively correlated with the P stock. Tree species diversity was positively correlated with K stock, but negatively correlated with N stock in the shifting cultivation site. Sustainable management of the sites should focus on the understanding of soil-plant interactions and the protection of soil C, nutrients, and species diversity.

Presented at the 7th International Conference on Natural Science & Technology (ICNST'23), Hotel Agrabad, Sabder Ali Road, Agrabad C/A, Chittagong 4000, Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's metamorphosis into an export-based industrial economy from an agrarian one pushes its grid energy mix to lean towards a coal-dominated future which contradicts its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) aspirations. Bangladesh needs local Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) databases to assist informed high-impact policymaking since product and process sustainability assessments are becoming inevitable for compliances. Bangladesh lacks an LCI database for coal mining and import which this study aimed to prepare. Besides, this study conducted both Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of coal to elucidate options for making imports and utilizations of coal more sustainable. The functional unit of the LCA was 1-MT (metric ton) energetic hard coal, the spatial system boundary was the international border of Bangladesh, and the temporal system boundary was the 2017 fiscal year. LCA used ILCD and ReCiPe 2006 impact assessment methods. The study used both primary and secondary data on mining, import, transportation, and sectoral use of coal. Overall, the environmental impacts of imported coal were higher than locally mined coal if the mining process at the source is considered. Coal consumption in Bangladesh mainly contributed to - Climate change (835 kg CO2 eq), causing 22% of the total environmental burden, followed by Human toxicity, cancer effects (18%); Acidification (16%); Human toxicity, non-cancer effects (13%) midpoint indicators. Coal sourcing scenario analysis indicated importing coal from Australia, South Africa, and Indonesia is the lower-impact options than importing from India. Surprisingly, MFA indicated 46% of the total input as hidden import flows, indicating the need for intensive investigation to evaluate hidden flows. MFA also indicated the need to reduce the reliance of brick kilns on coal besides assuring the cleanest coal-fired power plants. The results produced the baseline of impacts for mining, importing and using coal in Bangladesh as the country is poised to see a rapid increase in coal import, extraction and use. The hotspot analysis indicated options for coal mine management in Bangladesh to lower the environmental footprint of mining.

The transition toward a circular bioeconomy requires policy directives based on comprehensive research on biomass in the context of region-specific economic, societal, and environmental realities. Bangladesh, a densely populated country with an agrarian economy morphing rapidly into an industrial one, needs a critical evaluation of its biomass metabolism to enable local and global policy stakeholders in setting rational biomass-associated targets with policy pushes to achieve them. This article addresses the apparent research gap in the bioeconomy aspiration of Bangladesh by applying a systems perspective to quantify the extraction and use of biomass through economy-wide material flow analysis. The results indicate a twofold increase in domestic extraction of biomass in Bangladesh between 1961 and 2019. Bangladesh shows one of the highest rates of biomass extraction worldwide—a staggering 13 t/ha in 2019. Although the import dependency (currently at 9% of domestic material input) and consumption of animal products (4% of total calorie supply in 2018) in the country are comparatively low, both are increasing at scale. A further increase in the demand for food, in particular animal products, is evident from trends in population growth and dietary change. Apparently, the scope to expand the production of primary biomass for material and energy application seems limited. Rather, as the outcomes of this paper entail, circular bioeconomy strategies for Bangladesh should focus on creating a resilient and sustainable food system, reducing waste flows, cascadic use of crop residues, and so on, taking trade-offs between ecological, social, and economic goals into account.

We aimed to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of tertiary level students in Bangladesh regarding wood and non-wood (fossil-based) furniture and energy fuels through a pre-tested semi-structured face-to-face interview. About 59% and 90% of students opined that wood or bamboo-based fuels and furniture can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels and non-wood furniture, respectively, while 96, 54 and 71% of students commented on storing carbon, lowering CO2 emissions, and reducing deforestation, respectively, by the use of wood and residues. This mitigation benefit of wood also depends on recycling and reusing of wooden furniture, and scientific use of wood residues (e.g., biomass gasification) and almost all students agreed with the post-use of furniture as fuels. About 78% of students showed a positive attitude to use and 72% to buy more wooden furniture compared to non-wood furniture and 78% to reuse or recycle post-use furniture. These positive attitudes toward using and buying wooden furniture and recycling wood in science students were significantly higher than those in nonscience students. Our findings also show that students’ perceptions of wooden furniture and bioenergy were reflected in their positive attitudes to promote the use of these. However, peoples’ unawareness about environmental benefits of wood and bioenergy use and related policies, and post-use of wood products or recycling have been seen as the main challenges. Young generations’ positive attitudes could help society to overcome the challenges. The study concluded to incorporate environmental education along with formal education so that non-science and female students could easily perceive new ideas and conceptions at their youth stage to show positive behavior towards using wood-based products and bioenergy. The findings of this study could be applied to other regions of a similar environment in building up essential awareness and attitudes of tertiary level students towards environmental benefits and climate change mitigation

Urban trees have capacity to reduce atmospheric particulate matters (PM) concentration through deposition on leaves. However, we have very limited studies on the contribution of urban trees toward removal of PM in Bangladesh. In this study, conducted in Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), Bangladesh, we aimed to i) quantify the ambient atmospheric PM (PM2.5 and PM0.50), ii) quantify deposition of PM by urban trees, and iii) find out variation of PM with respect to common tree species, height of trees (low: 2.0–3.5 m and mid: 3.5–4.5 m), leaf traits (shape, surface), and seasons. Monthly air PM concentrations were measured from September 2020 to April 2021 in six sites (viz. roadside, residential, industrial, commercial, medical, and park area) in CCC. For measuring PM deposition, we collected 128 sample leaves from eight randomly selected trees of eight tree species in every month from study sites. At roadside, where relative greenspace was lowest, the atmospheric PM concentration was the highest. Conversely, where relative greenspace was higher (e. g. residence and park), the PM concentration was the lowest. In winter season (December–February), both ambient PM concentrations and deposition on leaves were the highest. Psidium guajava had significantly (p < 0.05) higher PM deposition than other tree species at both height levels. Deposition of PM was highest in trees with oblong and ovate-shaped, and rough-surfaced leaves at lower height, and therefore, recommendation is made to plant trees with these attributes in urban areas.

Natural regeneration and forest successional development are influenced by gap formation in forest stands. Nonetheless, there are limited studies that provide quantitative information on the influence of gaps on forest regeneration. We evaluated characteristics of inner and outer canopy gaps and their effects on natural regeneration in 40 canopy gaps in Sitapahar forest reserve of Bangladesh. A total of 50 individuals of 27 gapmaker tree species were found, of which 58% were formed by logging and the rest by natural damages. Elliptical shape represented 53% of the gaps followed by circular and rectangular gaps. The mean area of the outer and inner gaps was 50.1 ± 8.6 and 20.0 ± 3.0 m2, respectively. Gap formation types and shapes did not vary significantly between outer and inner gaps, while the mean gap area in older gaps was significantly higher than in new gaps. In comparison with outer gaps, mean densities of seedlings and saplings in the inner gaps were significantly higher, which is probably because of the closeness to seed trees. The diversity index of regenerating species and their height and collar diameter did not vary significantly between the inner and outer gaps. Positive, but weak relationships of gap area with subcanopy tree density and diversity were found. Since gaps were found dominated by few light-demanding tree species such as Brownlowia elata, Lithocarpus acuminata, Lithocarpus polystachya, and Macaranga denticulate, it is suggested that larger gaps need to be replanted with a combination of light-demanding and shade-tolerant native trees.

This study performs the first national plastic material flow analysis (MFA) of Bangladesh to obtain essential information for developing the roadmap for circular economy. It quantified plastic flows for the fiscal year (FY) 2019–2020 by circumventing data deficiencies through innovative methodical approach and an improvised coupling of primary data from extensive field surveys and historical foreign trade statistics. In FY2019–2020, Bangladesh exported only 22 % of its total annual plastic import of 1,710,296 metric tons. The packaging sector consumed the highest 937,242 metric tons (48 % of the domestic consumption). Per capita consumption and waste generation were 10.13 kg and 7.9 kg, respectively, leading to plastic use intensity of 7.94 g per 2010US$ GDP in FY2019–2020, indicating an active materialization phase and growth. Bangladesh recycled 362,332 metric tons of plastic a year, 90 % of which was done by the country's robust informal sector, leading to a better recycling efficiency (28 %) compared to developed countries. Bangladesh also fared better in plastic decoupling, with a decoupling factor of 21 compared to the average of 13 for its developed counterparts. Scenario-based forecast indicated a maximum of nearly 6 million metric tons of potential imports in FY2029–2030 for the business-as-usual scenario. The plastic industry exhibited better performance than many countries despite poor institutional capacity and lack of policy support by leveraging the informal and semi-formal sectors. Policy insights particularly on improving waste management by the informal sector, community awareness and stakeholder engagement, improving manufacturing processes and technologies may significantly contribute to circularizing plastic use in Bangladesh to achieve SDG12 targets.

Session: Forest Degradation and Restoration

Promoting socially and environmentally sustainable textiles is a prerequisite for transitioning into a more sustainable global fashion industry. The ethically sourced, eco-friendly fabric from Bangladesh’s age-old handloom (HL) weaving industry is an ideal candidate for that. However, the HL industry has declined in Bangladesh and globally under the invasion of the power loom (PL) industry fueled by the onslaught of consumerism and fast fashion. The sustainability aspects of HL and PL industries must be compared to draw attention to the potential role of the handloom industry in achieving sustainability in the textile industry worldwide. This study addresses the issue by comprehensively assessing the environmental and social footprints of both HL and PL industries in Bangladesh by adopting environmental life cycle assessment (E-LCA) and social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) approaches. The E-LCA revealed around four times less global warming potential and energy consumption by HL than PL industries. The water consumption per ton of cotton fabric of HL industries (0.39 tons) was stunningly lower than that of PL industries (87 tons). The S-LCA indicated HL industries as more socially inclusive than PL industries. The results showed that a thriving HL industry could help attain sustainability in the textile industry. Accordingly, based on a scenario-based analysis, this study makes specific policy recommendations to pave the pathway toward sustainable fashion using the HL industry.

Afforestation is a process used in recovering the global mangrove cover. Succession or development in mangrove communities during mangrove afforestation has rarely been described yet is important for understanding the potential of afforestation in creating diverse and functional mangroves. Since 1966, the Government of Bangladesh has created nearly 280 km2 of plantation mangroves (7.5% of the extent of the Sundarbans mangrove forest and 0.21% of the global mangroves extent) on the Delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers, located east of the Sundarbans mangroves. Here, we investigated the development of these plantation mangroves, assessing their community structure and species richness over a 40-year chronosequence in comparison to natural mangroves in the same region. Tree communities in the plantations reached a maximum mean aboveground biomass (AGB) of ∼157 ± 13 Mg dry weight ha−1, achieving equivalence in tree aboveground biomass and tree density (255 ± 2 individuals ha−1) to natural mangroves by 20 and 39 years respectively. Our dataset from plantations aged between 10 and 42 years indicated that structural complexity (Ic) was higher in older plantations than in younger plantations. We found that the tree community structure of older mangrove plantations was more diverse in the eastern region of the delta compared to the central and western regions, and the landward plantations were more diverse than the plantations fringing the oceans. One of the originally planted mangrove species, Sonneratia apetala, was dominant in these plantations. However, we recorded 8 mangrove tree species from 5 genera in the plantations, despite only two species (S. apetala and Avicennia officinalis) being planted. Our data indicated that while the tree structure of the established mangrove plantations was similar to natural mangroves within 42 years, equivalent species richness may not be reached for more than 40 years. Therefore, the adoption of management to enhance natural successional or development processes in afforestation programs, for example by planting a diverse mix of species, could improve the effectiveness of afforestation in conserving biodiversity.

Integrating greeneries into the indoor dwelling environment boosts work performance and relieves stress to add to the overall psychological well-being especially in deserted urban settings. In addition to mental soothing, thermal regulation, air purification, aesthetics, public health, and comfort, the addition of plants to indoor settings may also contribute to the conservation of dwindling floral biodiversity. Despite authorities’ pledge for sustainable urban management, the status of indoor gardening has hitherto remained unexplored in the emerging megapolis of Bangladesh—Chattogram—the second largest urban center of the country. In addressing that gap, this study aims to explore the composition, diversity, and management of indoor plants in urban dwellings at Halishahar of Chattogram based on interviews on 48 households selected through multistage random sampling. Data from all selected households were collected by using a semi-structured questionnaire through physically visiting the households. Almost half of the households (48%) living at Halishahar had indoor plants in their dwellings. The study recorded a handsome 120 indoor plant species belonging to 108 genera from 60 families. While the diversity was in no way comparable to the tropical ecosystem of the country, in consideration of the strict set of requirements for plants to be suitable for an indoor setting, the diversity seemed excellent as evident from four diversity indices. Soil mixed with compost, sand, and surki at different ratios is used as potting media. Pests were identified as the major challenge in managing the indoor plants. Application of domestic manure with the potting media was common as a means to maintain the nutrient flow. Bruised tea leaf is the most frequently added nutrient supplement. Apart from the aesthetic values, urban dwellers from Halishahar reported the immense potential of indoor gardening in supplementing daily nutrition and in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The lessons from this study can be used in informed policymaking for the promotion of biodiversity conservation and other benefits from indoor greening among urban dwellers in Bangladesh.

Given the dire state of the planet where scarce resources are being exhausted and “waste” is carelessly disposed of, we can find a hero within the concept of the circular economy—a model which aims to achieve a closed loop scenario by recycling the wastes back into the useful economic and ecological flows. Bangladesh, despite her growing population, lacks a dependable institutional waste management system, so the government should apply the concept of circular economy to modify and reconstruct it into a sustainable model. Organic food waste is the major constituent of household waste, containing nutrients and chemicals with too great of an influence on the chemical cycle to simply be disposed of. The current primary waste disposal method followed in Bangladesh is undesirable landfill dumping and such an easily recyclable component like food waste must not follow that path and should be re-circulated back into the loop instead. Currently, there are no comprehensive studies on food waste in Bangladesh to be used for policy guidance. Hence, proper quantification with composition of food wastes is essential to determine the reprocessing potential and provide policy guidance to restructure the existing inefficient waste management system into a sustainable one within the purview of circular economy concept. This chapter attempts to quantify the food waste generation of Bangladesh and explores the various options of available modern technology and methods to recover and reuse food waste. Circularity is the perfect instrument to promote decoupling and achieve sustainability, so its prospect and significance in food waste recycling shall be investigated.

In developing countries, connections between rural households’ energy access, efficiency of cooking technologies, and relevant factors are less understood. This study investigates household-level cooking stove’s carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions, perceptions, and influencing factors in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Methods involve a survey of 176 randomly selected households with a pre-tested questionnaire, and relevant measurements of traditional cooking stoves (TCS) and improved cooking stoves (ICS) of the households in three different categories: nearby, far, and very far from a protected forest area. Results show that most of the households use double-mouthed TCS, although ICS can save 27% fuels and 25% CO2 emissions compared to TCS. Between 44% to 84% of the respondents prefer ICS because these are less labor intensive, emission-friendly as well as fuel- and time- efficient. The perception varies significantly between the households located far away and nearby the park. The amount of fuelwood and total biomass fuels used in the TCS tends to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in the ICS, which corresponds to the higher emissions in TCS. We also find that a household releases six times higher CO2 emissions from burning fuelwood and other biomass fuels compared to use of non-renewable fuels. Households with pucca (brick-built) houses, financial affluency, education, large family size, away from the park, and larger homestead area tend to release more emissions from the use of fuelwood and non-renewable fuels. This study finding can help policymakers make informed decisions in implementing ICS and other cleaner biomass-based projects.

Natural regeneration in tropical forests is considered an essential part of forest restoration efforts; however, it is often under-estimated where the main focus has traditionally been on tree planting. This study assessed natural regeneration and its potential for the conservation of native tree species in Sitapahar Forest Reserve, Bangladesh. We established 99 temporary plots (2 m × 2 m each) in three canopy classes, namely dense canopy (DC, 70–100% canopy coverage), moderate canopy (MC, 40–70%), and open canopy (OC,

This study explores renewable and non-renewable energy consumption patterns, expenses for fuels, and associated socioeconomic factors among households around a protected forest area (park) in Southeastern Bangladesh. Methods involve randomly surveying a total of 176 households with pre-tested questionnaires in three different categories: ≤ 1 km (nearby), 2–4 km (far), and ≥ 5 km (very far) from the park, respectively. A rural household consumes 12 times higher renewable fuels than non-renewables, with leading fuelwood (1182.73 kWh month− 1), primarily used for cooking. Households´ consumptions of fuelwood and leaves are higher nearby the park, however; the consumptions of crop residues and sawdust are significantly higher at the households far away from the park. For sourcing fuelwood, most of the households nearby the park depend on private forests, and those living away rely on the market and sawmills. For renewables, a household spends 42% of the total energy expenses, while 58% on non-renewables. Households nearby the park spend 12% of their energy budget to buy kerosene, an inconvenient fuel, mostly for lighting, however; those away from the park only spend 5% of their energy budget for kerosene and 28–31% on cleaner energy such as liquefied petroleum gas and electricity. More affluent and educated households shift from kerosene and spend more on cleaner fuels. The rural households’ current high dependence on renewable energy, their diminishing pressure on public and homestead forests for fuels, and the pattern of unequal energy access based on their distance from the park can contribute to achieving sustainable development goal (SDG 7) to ensure clean, affordable, and sustainable access to energy for all by 2030.

Homestead forests play an important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. This study investigated homestead forest owners’ perceptions on climate change and associated impacts, as well as the role that homestead forests could play to enhance households’ climate adaptation in Bandarban hill district of Bangladesh. Methods involved randomly surveying a total of 176 homestead households at three different hill altitudes: low, medium, and high. We also analyzed the meteorological data on local rainfall and temperature for the period of 1990 to 2019. Results showed that most (76–94%) of the homestead forest owners perceived an increasing erratic pattern of annual temperature and rainfall which was supported by the analysis of local meteorological data. Forest owners´ perceptions towards changes in tree phenology, increase in food insecurity, landslides, and pest infestation, and decrease in crop production, soil fertility, and seasonal streamflow were revealed as pieces of evidence of climate change impacts that varied significantly with hill altitudes and associated ecosystems. About 66% to 97% of the housheolds perceived that homestead forests could play a pivotal role in enhancing their capacity to adapt with the changing climate by supplying diverse products, services, and environmental benefits. Understanding and perceptions of the environmental benefits of homestead forests also significantly varied with the type of households´ construction, income, and literacy of the household members. Our results will help policymakers to ensure these small-scale homestead forests are conserved since they could also provide multiple environmental benefits e.g., carbon sequestration in addition to enhancing community climate adaptation.

I am a contributor to this technical report. I was an expert in this research in Bangladesh

In Ramamoorthy, S. et al. (eds) Plant genetic resources, inventory, collection and conservation.

DOI: 10.15406/oajs.2022.05.00175

Identifying and demarcating watershed areas provides a basis for designing and planning for water resources. In this study, DEMs-based estimates of watershed characteristics of three rivers of Bangladesh – Halda, Sangu, and Chengi – were derived using eight Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of 30 m, 90 m, and 225 m resolution in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). We have assessed watershed characteristics concerning DEMs, resolutions, and Area Threshold Values (ATVs). Though the elevation data differed, high correlation values among DEMs and resolutions confirm the negligible effect of elevation in the watershed delineation. However, the slope and watershed delineation vary for different DEMs and resolutions. The 90 m DEMs estimated larger areas for Halda and Chengi and lower perimeter values for all three rivers. In watershed delineation, the area near the mouth and flat terrain did not coincide with DEMs. The common intersected area by DEMs can be used as the focal area of watershed management. ATV ≤ 40 km2 significantly influences sub-basin counts and stream network extraction for these watershed areas. Though watershed size and shape were independent of the different ATVs, the DEM-based watershed delineation process in SWAT needs optimum ATV values to represent the stream network precisely.

Book Chapter

Book Chapter

Abstract: Human conflict with Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) is a critical challenge for the conservation of the species in Bangladesh. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to check the conflict status between humans and wild elephants within the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS). Fifty-two respondents were randomly interviewed from both the local Bengali and Rohingya communities across the TWS using a semi-structured questionnaire. Our analyses show that wild elephants sometimes move into Rohingya camps and surrounding villages. Bengali residents reported higher incidence of encountering wild elephants than did Rohingya people. A majority of respondents were frightened upon seeing wild elephants, and they reported that elephant attacks caused human injury and death in their communities. Our analysis showed further that most elephant attacks took place during winter between evening and midnight. To deter wild elephants from their villages and camps, more than two-thirds of respondents used traditional deterrence techniques like fires, rock throwing, and group shouting, whereas one-third of respondents employed modern technology like Elephant Response Teams (ERTs), torch/flashlight, hand mikes, and watchtowers with solar-powered flashlights. One-fifth of respondents expressed satisfaction with the effectiveness of modern deterrence techniques. To minimize human-elephant conflict, respondents suggested introducing a variety of interventions. These include forming more ERTs, training residents on modern deterrence techniques, and raising awareness through environmental education programs. Respondents further suggested restoring traditional elephant migration corridors, developing core elephant habitat containing the animal’s preferred food species, creating buffer zones with human-preferred plant species so as to reduce dependency on nearby forests (and to avoid wild elephants), and installing solar fencing and bio-fencing to deter elephants from settlements.

Purpose For sustaining productivity and increasing biodiversity in Cox´s Bazar, a coastal area, and Bandarban, a hilly area, in Bangladesh, it is important to study the soil properties of the homegardens in these districts. We assessed the effects of varying forest management on soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and nutrients (P, K, Na, and Ca) between the hill and coastal homegardens. Methods Soil samples were collected from 24 homegardens; 12 from the hill and 12 from the coastal sites. Results In both homegardens, the topsoil C and N stocks were up to 23% and 41%, respectively, higher than those in the deepest soil. We found a vertical decrease in C:N ratio in the soil of both homegardens, and the highest C:N ratios and C stock (49.90 Mg ha−1) were in the hill homegardens. The topsoil C in the hill homegardens was higher most probably due to higher deposition of litterfall and/or lower litter harvesting or mulching. The highest total N stock (5.97 Mg ha−1) was in the coastal homegardens, which may be due to higher tree density and species composition. The concentration and stocks of nutrients decreased vertically in the soil and this decrease was higher in the hill than in the coastal homegardens (except for P). Conclusions It could be concluded that overall nutrient dynamics may be significantly affected by litter deposition, stand structure, and the variation in the rainfall. Soil N and nutrient deficiency should be considered in the planning of sustainable forest management to sustain productivity and increase biodiversity.

The agro-based tea-export-oriented industry has a tremendous contribution to the local and national economy of Bangladesh. This study was conducted through field observation and a semi-structured questionnaire survey to investigate the present status and role of tea estates on the local and national economy, situated in the Chattogram tea-valley of Bangladesh. The study revealed that the overall production and management of the surveyed tea estates were satisfactory. In the case of the surveyed tea estates, the study also revealed an average of 19% and 13% increases in tea production and yield respectively compared to the previous year. The tea estates were found committed to maintaining the standard of the processed tea which ensured a higher auction price of the processed tea. Besides, percentage increases of the area of the tea estates were satisfactory enough to comply with the rules of the Bangladesh Tea Board. Contrarily, the study also identified some common problems in the surveyed tea estates, specifically a shortage of workers, lack of raw materials, capital, and modern machinery, land-use conflicts, etc. which hinder the production of the tea estates of the Chattogram tea-valley. The study also recommended several effective actions to eradicate all constraints which originated from the tea estates of the Chattogram tea-valley,

Abstract: Conflict between people and wildlife is a foremost issue for conservation which is hard to solve when the wants of people collide in a straight line with the needs of endangered species like wild elephant. This study was carried out in the adjoining villages of two protected areas (PAs) of Chittagong region namely Dudupukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary (DDWS) and Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) to identify the attitude of the villagers to the PAs by measuring different received benefits and faced problems from those reserves, the interaction between human and wild elephants and the opinions of the villagers to the effectiveness of community based wildlife management. The data were collected through a quantitative household survey which includes a series of close ended, fixed response and simple questions. Crop depredation was identified as a major problem to the villagers and they received small amount of benefits for the conservation program through protected area which create negative attitude among them to the PAs. Though most of the people were willing to participate in community based conservation program, they did not think that such kind of approach is effective to protect biodiversity in the PAs. The present study makes the recommendation to build positive attitude to the PAs, to minimize the conflict, helps in future planning programs and further research of this field.

In: Leal Filho W., Azul A., Brandli L., Özuyar P., Wall T. (eds) Life on Land.

In: Leal Filho W., Azul A., Brandli L., Özuyar P., Wall T. (eds) Life on Land.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119117

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00284-1)

Abstract: This study was conducted in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh to explore the impact of emissions from brick kilns on crop yields from agricultural lands which were located at distances of 100, 101-500, 501-1000, and 1001-2000 m from brick kilns. The survey was conducted by using a semi-structured questionnaire during the period from January to March 2019. It also included soil sampling on farmlands located at distances of 0, 150, and 300 m from brick kilns to evaluate impact of brick kilns on the soil properties of agricultural fields. On the other hand, the impact of emissions from brick kilns on the yield of crops and fruits from agricultural lands and home gardens was tested at distances of 0.30 m. However, in practice, brick industries collect clay from depths of 0.9 to 2.4 m. For all distances of farmlands from brick industries to human settlements, the available P, K and MC in soil varied significantly. The farmland areas, soil fertilities, crop yields, and status of fruit production all increased significantly while the quantity of fertilizers used in agricultural fields and periods of land leasing decreased with increasing distances from brick industries. These relationships affected attitudes, as people living further from brick industries were more positive towards these industries than people living closer to brick kilns. Therefore, government should provide subsidized credit loans to reduce the impacts caused by the pollution.

Abstract: The Sundarban Reserve Forest (SRF) of Bangladesh provides tourism services to local and international visitors. Indeed, tourism is one of the major ecosystem services that this biodiversity-rich mangrove forest provides. Through a convenient sampling technique, 421 tourist respondents were interviewed to assess their willingness to pay for the tourism services of the Sundarban, using the Zonal Travel Cost Method (ZTCM). The estimated annual economic contribution of tourism in the Sundarban mangroves to the Bangladesh economy is USD 53 million. The findings of this study showed that facilities for watching wildlife and walking inside the forest can increase the number of tourists in the SRF. The findings also show that the availability of information like forest maps, wildlife precautionary signs, and danger zones would increase the number of tourists as well. Thus, the government of Bangladesh should consider increasing visitor entry fees to fund improvements and to enhance the ecotourism potential of the Sundarban mangroves.

Abstract: Using the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs of UK (DEFRA) framework, all the ecosystem services from the Hatiya coastal forest under the Noakhali Coastal Forest Division of Bangladesh have been listed down to prepare a considerable record for valuing ecosystem services. Different valuation assessment techniques like market price method, travel cost method, Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) have been used to calculate timber, fish, and tourism values. Following the allometric equation, the sequestrated biomass carbon has been estimated. This study has evaluated the economic values of different ecosystem services in Hatiya coastal forests, including timber value of 32year aged old plantation as 303,040.50 thousand USD, annual fish catch amount as 61.5 thousand metric ton (MT) price with 115,217.25 thousand USD, the value of newly accreted land 22,239.46 thousand USD of 6000 ha, annual tourism value of 114.90 thousand USD and the willingness to pay by the tourists as 6.06 thousand USD. The study also estimated the total stored carbon amount by biomass and soil of the area as 252304.67 ton and 1365642.098 ton, respectively. In addition, using the GIS tool, the Land-use and Land-cover (LULC) change has been assessed to show the mangrove area condition comparing with previous years. This study aims to be a preliminary source for valuing ecosystem services further in Hatiya and other coastal forests, which will drive the policymakers to take appropriate and realistic initiatives for sustainable management of coastal forests as well as allocate budget for the forestry sector during national planning.

Aims: This study aimed to know the knowledge level and perception of the farmers regarding the use and impact of agrochemical and to find out the correlation of knowledge level and pesticide use with their age, education, farm size, number of pesticide use. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh in four different unions of Sitakunda Upazilla between May 2018 and June 2018. Methodology: We surveyed 142 farmer households from nine villages of three unions, selected through multistage purposive random sampling. They were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. A key informant survey was done by interviewing Upazila agriculture officers and agrochemical retailers. Results: No overuse of fertilizer and pesticide were found. Findings showed that 66.2% of farmers were medium knowledgeable, with 14.79% low and 19.01% high knowledgeable. Applications of obsolete pesticides were found to be used. Farmers’ knowledge level is significantly correlated with their education level and the number of pesticides used. Conclusion: There was a gap between the amounts of fertilizer applied and the recommended level except for gypsum. Most did not know the standard application rate of fertilizer and pesticides. Farmers’ knowledge level should be improved and the adoption of rational use of agrochemicals is needed through extension activity to get proper yield and to inform them of precautionary measures.

Aims: Along with different initiatives in public and private sectors Chittagong city dwellers are also contributing to increasing urban greenery. This study aimed to find their perception and contribution to urban greenery development. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Chittagong city of Bangladesh in four different residential areas between May 2019 and June 2019. Methodology: We have surveyed 100 respondent families who were selected through purposive random sampling. After sorting we used MS Excel 2010 to analyze the data. Results: The study revealed that household people covered 13.04% of the total household area by greener infrastructure which is about 179. 07sq.ft per household. In this study, it is found that 49.99% of the respondents practice indoor plantation, 62.44% have roof-top gardening and only 17.61% have gardens in their premises. 128 species have been in their household area of which 36 flowerings, 33 fruits 36 vegetables, 12 are medicinal additionally 11 are ornamental plant species. It has also been revealed in the study that 14% of households directly use the roof whereas 86% use containers for their rooftop garden. They use compost manure, inorganic fertilizer, and food waste as manure. Where 6% prefer composting, 73% use food waste, and 21% use inorganic fertilizer. According to 27% of people, the environmental benefits derived from the household greenery are the main reason for developing their garden where 26% claimed it for recreation, 24% for aesthetics 13% for religious benefit and only 10% do it for monetary benefit. Conclusion: Household people can be an important catalyst for “Urban green infrastructure development.” Hope this study will be an expedient caseworker on the way of planning for sustainable Chittagong city development which will embed the Environment and Urbanism in the frame of ‘Sustainable Urban Development’.

The only freshwater swamp forest of Bangladesh namely Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest (RFWSF) has a great contribution to the livelihoods of the surrounding local communities. Local communities or residents of the area depend heavily on this biodiversity-rich swamp forest for income, employment, fuelwood, and non-wood forest resources. An exploratory study was carried out in the swamp forest to explore the availability and consumption patterns of various forest resources, and dependency levels of residents on the RFWSF. Data were collected using a semistructured questionnaire from 301 respondents (randomly selected from the residents) of the surrounding nine villages. The study revealed that respondents were dependent largely on the RFWSF for fuelwood, bamboo, cane, murta, ornamental resource, and other raw materials for cottage industries. Among the respondents 27% were involved in the harvesting of fish resources, followed by fuelwood (23%), grass (11%), and fodder (6%) collection. Bamboo was the main source of fuel for 41 % of the respondents and 40% depended on twigs and branches of trees. The findings of the study revealed that residents were highly dependent on the non-wood forest resources of the RFWSF for their livelihoods. Besides, a substantial amount of wood resources was consumed by the residents as fuelwood. Excessive unscientific exploitation of the forest resources disturbed the ecological functions and threatened the wildlife habitats of the RFWSF tremendously. The study recommended raising awareness and capacity building among forest-dependent residents, proper implementations of forest law, and sustainable management could be the effective pathway for the upliftment of the resident’s condition with ecological rehabilitation in the RFWSF.

Land is a finite resource and most important gift of nature to human beings. Land is not only important resource to the human but also for wildlife, natural vegetation, and other ecosystems. About 95% of our basic needs are obtained from land directly or indirectly. Due to increasing population, the land use and land cover is changing gradually. Rising of land conflicts and land use conflicts are now the global problem. The land is under various competing pressures from urbanization, industrialization, infrastructures, and increased demand of food. To give the space for over population and meet the extra demand for these populations, natural forests and agricultural lands are converted into urban and industrial land and diminishing day by day. Increasing competitive demand for a land for different uses due to growing population, conflicting views arise and thus land use conflicts occur. Natural land cover of earth has been changed with natural phenomenon and human intervention over time. The detrimental land cover changes and alteration due to human activities was detected since 1700 AD. The Geographic Information System (GIS) and satellite based Remote Sensing (RS) are the modern technologies uses for assessing and analyzing land use changes. Considering the gradual increase of land use changes and conflicts this book deals with the land use policy, land use conflicts, land use changes, GIS, RS, land regulation, land tenure, urban vegetation, land use planning and sustainable development from different aspects of different countries. This book has five parts. The first part “Land Use Policy and Conflicts” discusses with the policy of cultivated land requisition in China, impacts of development efforts in the conflict-affected areas of Muslim-Malay and Thai predominant in Thailand, and the Heirs’ property challenges at Gullah Geechee in America. The second part “Land Use Changes, GIS & RS” discusses the land use changes and local perception towards these changes in Sri Lanka, vegetation transformation at Rajasthan in India, and the urban sprawl visual investigation of Beijing, China. The third part “Land Regulations, Tenure and Local Land Use” discusses about the land regulation, tenure and local land use of Sri Lanka, youths’ perception to agricultural entrepreneurship in Nepal, worldwide threats to the arable land, and precision agriculture for sustainable land use. The fourth part “Urban Vegetation” encloses a general description on the role of urban vegetation, urban forestry in Malaysia, and the mangrove degradation in urban setting and its socio-economic impacts in Fiji. The fifth part “Land Use Planning & Sustainable Development” encompasses the land use planning, management, and sustainable development in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Land use conflicts and changes are the emerging and time demanding issues. This book is a combined effort of different authors from different countries. Land use researches from different areas are gathered in one compilation will be a supportive document to the academians, researchers, global policymakers, students, developers, and to the governmental works of different countries.

Abstract: Overdependence on and exploitation of forest resources have significantly transformed the natural reserve forest of Sundarban, which shares the largest mangrove territory in the world, into a great degradation status. By observing these, a most pressing concern is how much degradation occurred in the past, and what will be the scenarios in the future if they continue? To confirm the degradation status in the past decades and reveal the future trend, we took Sundarban Reserve Forest (SRF) as an example, and used satellite Earth observation historical Landsat imagery between 1989 and 2019 as existing data and primary data. Moreover, a geographic information system model was considered to estimate land cover (LC) change and spatial health quality of the SRF from 1989 to 2029 based on the large and small tree categories. The maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) technique was employed to classify the historical images with five different LC types, which were further considered for future projection (2029) including trends based on 2019 simulation results from 1989 and 2019 LC maps using the Markov-cellular automata model. The overall accuracy achieved was 82.30%~90.49% with a kappa value of 0.75~0.87. The historical result showed forest degradation in the past (1989–2019) of 4773.02 ha yr−1, considered as great forest degradation (GFD) and showed a declining status when moving with the projection (2019–2029) of 1508.53 ha yr−1 and overall there was a decline of 3956.90 ha yr−1 in the 1989–2029 time period. Moreover, the study also observed that dense forest was gradually degraded (good to bad) but, conversely, light forest was enhanced, which will continue in the future even to 2029 if no effective management is carried out. Therefore, by observing the GFD, through spatial forest health quality and forest degradation mapping and assessment, the study suggests a few policies that require the immediate attention of forest policy-makers to implement them immediately and ensure sustainable development in the SRF.

Abstract: Globally mangrove forests are among the most severely threatened ecosystems. The protection value of mangrove forests is important for policy makers as a means of increasing forestation in coastal areas. Only a few economic studies have estimated the protective value of mangrove ecosystems. None have estimated the value of this service in the Sundarban of Bangladesh. In this study, we estimated the economic value of storm-protection services of the Sundarban Reserve Forest during cyclone Sidr in 2007 by valuing and comparing the economic damage and losses of households at two sites (i.e., near the Sundarban and far from the Sundarban). In total, 1,525 households from 9 upazillas (sub-districts) were sampled, all located within 1 km distance of the embankment. Applying the Damage-Cost-Avoided (DCA) method, the storm-protection value of the Sundarban is estimated at USD 543.30 million. The estimated value of the damage cost avoided per household (as of 2015 consumer price) also implies that the installation of a one-km width of intact mangrove forest can save USD 396 to each household during cyclones and storm surges. Conservation and restoration of the ecological status of Sundarban is, therefore, urgently needed for the continued existence and sustainable use of Sundarban’s ecosystem services in the long term.

This study reports the effects of weeding on the physical and chemical properties of soil from two different hill sites with rigorous plantation. Soil samples were collected from top, middle, and bottom hill positions, having plot sizes of 0.5m × 0.5m. This study analyzed five soil physical variables including moisture content, maximum water holding capacity, field capacity, bulk density, and particle density; and seven soil chemical variables including organic matter, organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH, Carbon nitrogen ratio, available potassium, and available calcium. The top hill position captures significantly lower Organic matter, Organic carbon, pH, available Ca, and K having lower soil physical variables of Moisture content, Field capacity, and Maximum water holding capacity in both sites irrespective of the presence and absence of weed. In this study, we found that all studied soil physical and chemical variables were higher in the presence of weeds in both sites except bulk density and particle density. This study concluded that weeding practices in artificial hill forests showed adverse impacts on soil physical and chemical properties. Moreover, undisturbed ground vegetation will provide continuous organic matter flow after decomposition and help to improve the soil properties. For plantations in hilly areas, it is more crucial as the hilltop was found to significantly lower physicochemical soil properties.

3rd International Conference in Agroforestry, UGM, Indonesia

It's a book chapter.

The presentation of the article is published in the above mentioned link.

Conference Abstract

This research study was conducted by Shushilan under the Social Science Research Council, Planning Division, Ministry of Planning, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

It's a book chapter

DOI: 10.3126/ije.v6i1.16868)

Abstract: The recreational behaviour of visitors to Karamjal Forest Station in Sundarban, Bangladesh, was determined by interviewing 150 visitors. The majority of visitors were locals from Bangladesh (90%); however, recreational behaviour varied significantly between local and foreign visitors. More than half of the visitors reported coming to Sundarban for the first time. Most of the visitors were travelling for recreation and derived satisfaction from watching wildlife, particularly deer and crocodiles, and the beauty of the forest. Foreign visitors expressed more satisfaction with boat journeys than local visitors, while less educated visitors expressed more dissatisfaction with boat travel than highly educated visitors. To the question, ‘How would you describe the quality of the recreational benefits of nature-based tourism in Karamjal?’ most visitors answered “poor” or “very poor”. Visitor perception varied significantly by income level, and people of higher financial status were more satisfied than people of lower financial status with the recreational benefits of nature-based tourism in Karamjal.

Abstract: Conflicts over the conservation of natural resources at the community level occur in different forms and at various levels of severity. These conflicts can be defined as situations in which the allocation, management or use of natural resources results in attacks on human rights or denial of access to natural resources to an extent that considerably diminishes human welfare. However, the conflict between the authorities of the Dhudpukuria-Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary (DDWS) and local people over wildlife conservation is one of the most serious conservation issues in Chittagong region of Bangladesh. The DDWS is managed under a co-management programme, but there are many questions that have already been asked about the success of co-management in the study area. A total of 195 standardized, structured and semi-structured questionnaires were administered randomly to villagers. The majority of respondents reported that they did not receive any potential benefit from the DDWS, and almost one-third of respondents reported that they had problems with the DDWS. Almost all respondents reported that they were unable to control the damage caused by wildlife. More than 80% of respondents reported that the co-management approach was not effective in mitigating conflict between people and protected areas. More than 45% of the participants in co-management program reported greater effectiveness of the co-management approach than non-participants. Moreover, the respondents who received more benefits from the Protected Areas (PA) reported more effectiveness of the co-management approach than those who received less or no benefits from the protected area. Integration of local knowledge and preferences into the co-management process will ensure the sustainability of the co-management programme by minimizing the conflict between people and protected areas.

Analyses to ensure food safety and quality are more relevant now because of rapid changes in the quantity, diversity and mobility of food. Food-contamination must be determined to maintain health and up-hold laws, as well as for ethical and cultural concerns. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a rapid and inexpensive quantitative method to detect the presence of targeted DNA-segments in samples, helps in determining both accidental and intentional adulterations of foods by biological contaminants. This review presents recent developments in theory, techniques, and applications of RT-PCR in food analyses, RT-PCR addresses the limitations of traditional food analyses in terms of sensitivity, range of analytes, multiplexing ability, cost, time, and point-of-care applications. A range of targets, including species of plants or animals which are used as food ingredients, food-borne bacteria or …

ISBN:978-84-617-6118-0

DOI: 10.1007/s11629-015-3541-7

Abstract: The ecosystem services provided by the Bangladesh Sundarbans contribute in various sectors especially to the livelihood of the surrounding peoples, but they are often overlooked in the valuation process. This study investigates the significance of ecosystem services on peoples’ lives and how these services are affected by climate change and other factors. Here an economic valuation framework was used to list the ecosystem services provided by this mangrove forest. Direct uses included timber, golpata (Nypa fruticans), honey, beeswax, fish, shrimp larvae and tourism. Indirect uses included carbon storage, protection from cyclones and tidal surges, breeding and nursery grounds for the aquatic species, and biodiversity conservation. This work also found that the ecosystem services were diminished by fresh water flow reduction, overharvesting, sea level rise, salinity increase, poaching, and climate change. In the present context and future scenario, sea level rise will be an important contributor to changes in ecosystem services. But because many factors impact sea level rise, the impact of climate change takes on less importance than many other causes of ecosystem service degradation in the Bangladesh Sundarbans.

Research seminar, School of Forest Science, UEF, Joensuu

DOI: 10.1007/s11842-015-9290-1

DOI: 10.32628/IJSRST151435

Bangladesh Development Research Working Paper Series (BDRWPS) 27

Abstract: Here we report the context encounters of elephant attacks on humans in Bangladesh, during the period 1989 to 2012. Attack rates significantly increased over this study period. The proportion of encounters that caused deaths or injuries differed statistically significant between the two sexes (men more deaths), age groups (elder more deaths), time of the day (more deaths during night), place of casualty (more deaths outside forests), weapon used by elephants (more deaths when elephants were using both trunk and leg) and study sites. No difference was found between seasons, elephant group size, or financial status, occupation and household size of victims. Elephant family groups were mostly responsible for attacks in the north, while single bulls were more responsible in the southeast. The place of casualty (inside or outside forests), time of the day, gender and regions were all significant in explaining the variation in encounters which resulted in human deaths or injuries. Conflict mitigation approaches including incentive-, awareness-or training programs from the forest department could help to reduce the conflict between humans and elephants in Bangladesh.

DOI: 10.5923/j.ije.20140405.04

Summary: The surrounding areas around the Chobe National Park having water and fertile soils, which are preferred by both farmers and elephants, set the stage for a battle between humans and elephants, referred to as human-elephant conflict (HEC). This chapter reviews the history of human-elephant interactions and complexities of HEC in Africa. Sustainable solutions to HEC require that spatial and temporal patterns of elephant movement be incorporated into land-use planning. Crop depredation represents the dominant cause of HEC, with affected communities incurring both direct and indirect costs. Elephants have provided ivory, meat, hides and draft power to humans; national economic benefits also arise from wildlife-based tourism. Commitment, education, and empowerment are all keys to effective community-based conservation (CBC). This requires effective governance at local, regional, and national levels, without which HEC will never be sufficiently mitigated to satisfy both community leaders and conservationists.

Abstract: We explored the degree to which Bangladeshi farmers perceive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) as agricultural pests, as related to the type of farming and other demographic profile of the farmers. We analysed the size and cropping patterns of farms raided by wild elephants, the extent and nature of crop loss, the months and crop-raiding time; and the size of elephants’ herds that caused crop-raiding incidents. The average loss of entire crops increased with distance from the park up to 300 m and then decreased with greater the distance. The greatest loss due to crop raiding was associated with specific crops. Farmers incurred the greatest mean losses in terms of cost from like rice, vegetables, banana, and teak. The highest proportion of small losses occurred during the early evening, while the greatest financial losses occurred during late evening. Wild elephants raided crops throughout most of the year, but the greatest loss and cost were incurred during the monsoon season. The proportion of crops lost varied with the herd size of elephant responsible for crop-raiding and the duration of crop-raiding. Differences were found in the views of farmers regarding the perceptions towards elephant as pest. Considering crop-raiding elephant herd as pest has been given different views by the farmers based on their financial/comfortable status.

Abstract: This study was based on interviews with 388 randomly selected households living near four protected areas in northern and south-eastern Bangladesh: Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary, Teknaf Game Reserve and two forest reserves. The respondents were generally poor and their perception of conservation varied across the study areas. Respondents were generally reluctant to embrace conservation and their attitude towards the conservation of protected areas depended on a set of demographic and socio-economic factors. People in northern Bangladesh had somewhat more positive attitudes towards conservation than those in the south-east. The two most important variables explaining respondents’ attitudes towards conservation were the distance they lived from protected areas and their monthly income. People who are poor and who live closer to the protected areas disliked the conservation measures most.

An easy, rapid and sensitive method of detection of the presence of meat species in raw or processed foods is important from cultural, religious, health and commercial perspectives. In this study we have tried to distinguish species-specificity in control and processed pork, chicken and bovine meats using loop mediated isothermal amplicons (LAMP) and disposable electrochemical printed (DEP) chips. LAMP is a nucleic acid amplification method that amplifies target DNA with high specificity, efficiency and rapidity under isothermal condition (63 °C). Electrochemical genosensor with the DEP chips detects the amplicons by Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV) observation of DNA–Hoechst33258 interaction on the chip surface. Hoechst33258 interacts with DNA in solution without immobilization of DNA onto the electrode surface eliminating the time consuming probe immobilization step. Our method is more specific and free of unwanted amplifications compared to Multiplexed PCR (M-PCR) method and gave limits of detection of ∼20.33 ng/μl (3 × 104 copies/reaction), ∼78.68 pg/μL (3 × 102 copies/reaction) and ∼23.63 pg/μL (30 copies/reaction) for pork, chicken and bovine species, respectively. Our method of detection is quick, taking only an hour, and it may be useful for food administration laboratories to carry out meat species identification in raw and processed foods.

Abstract In this study, we explored the interaction between humans and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). We analysed local mitigation techniques and propose possible measures to reduce human–elephant conflicts. For four protected areas in Bangladesh, we investigated how people interact with elephants and other crop-damaging species. Crop-damaging species differed from site to site, but elephants were generally the most frequent offenders. Although some people were able to control crop damage caused by other wildlife, damage caused by wild elephants was mostly uncontrollable. Forest villagers were somewhat tolerant of damage caused by other wildlife but they were not tolerant of damage caused by wild elephants. Tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife other than wild elephants tended to increase with distance of respondents from protected areas. Non-tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife was more common in southeast Bangladesh than in the north. Habitat destruction, caused by high population growth and poverty, appeared to be a major cause for increasing human–elephant conflict. There is an urgent need for adoption of an umbrella strategy (e.g. estimate the size of elephant populations, develop landscape-scale conservation plans and create forest buffer zones under community-based natural resource management schemes) in the use of conflict mitigation as a conservation tool for Asian elephants.

Abstract: An assessment of human attitudes, particularly towards Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), is necessary in formulating appropriate policies for conserving such wildlife. The aim of this study is to test the extent of how the experience people have of wild elephants influences their perceptions of, and attitudes towards, them, and to identify factors influencing their attitudes towards the conservation of elephants in the wild. This study was carried out in four protected areas (PAs) in Bangladesh through in-depth interviews of men (N = 193) and women (N = 195). The majority of the respondents said that wild elephants caused anxiousness. The most important factors influencing the attitudes of people towards conservation regimes for wild elephants were the distances of the people that lived from the park boundary. Forest villagers residing in northern Bangladesh (70.5%) were more likely to support the conservation of wild elephants in their nearest PA through eco-tourism than those residing in south-eastern parts of the country (43.1%). This was due to a lack of natural resources in the forests and an unemployment crisis in the northern part. The introduction of environmental studies into primary and secondary schools, and the promotion of public participation in planning, decision-making and management of PAs, has been an important aspect for the sustainability of elephant conservation in Bangladesh.

Summary: Human populations interact with wildlife in numerous ways. Mankind has directly exploited wild animals for food and furs for millennia and more recently for sport or cultural reasons. People have greatly modified habitats and landscapes through agriculture and extractive industries with far reaching and typically negative impacts on wildlife populations. From the human perspective, our interactions with wildlife are often positive; we gain material benefits from harvesting species for food or other animal products. In other situations, however, human interactions with wildlife are negative. Conflicts between people and wildlife have had profound impacts on natural ecosystems. These impacts reach beyond the suppression or local extinction of populations that are in conflict with people, to the structuring of ecosystems, the destruction of habitats, and even the extinction of associated species. Legal protection helps comparatively little, because people will kin 'problem' wildlife illegally if they are not sufficiently motivated. A range of species is responsible for conflicts, the principal culprits being primates, rodents, ungulates (including antelopes), bush pigs, elephants, hippopotami, buffalo and zebras, as well as carnivores like lions, leopards, hyenas (Naughton-Treves 1998). Livestock also perpetrate significant damage, but locally accepted restitution measures often exist (Naughton-Treves 1998). Conflict situations can arise anywhere, but are frequently concentrated at the edges of reserves where wildlife enjoys protection and land is often fertile, leading to a wealth of agriculture. This chapter highlights existing human-wildlife conflicts as experienced in Asia, with emphasis on elephants. Asian elephants and African elephants are compared. Recommendations on how to deal with the conflicts are provided and the way forward is proposed.

Sensing and quantification of DNA and proteins are becoming increasingly important in biochemistry, medicine and biotechnology. Traditional analytical techniques are lagging behind the demand for more information in less time, at a lower cost. An important step forward in this pursuit is to identify an analyte using its electrochemical behavior and to convert its presence and concentration into perceivable and distinct electrical signals. This review covers the strategies for electrochemical sensing of biomolecules, mainly, DNA and proteins by label-based and label-free approaches using disposable electrochemical printed chips and carbon nanotube based field effect transistors. Issues, such as ease of preparation, robustness, sensitivity, and realization of mass production of the detection strategies are also considered. A good coverage of the published literature, mostly, a wide treatment of original research articles reporting novel principles has been made. Finally, this review may help the researchers in developing an understanding of miniaturized electrochemical biosensors and their possible applications in medical and food science, with directions for future research.

In: Lee, D.K. (ed) Keep Asia Green. Volume III “South Asia”.

In: Brenes, M.D. (ed) Biomass and Bioenergy: New Research.