Volume 05, Number 01, 2008

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10361/46

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Demographic and health scenario of tribal people in Rangamati Sadar Thana
(BRAC University, 2008) Mullah, Muhammad Abu Shadeque; Parveen, Nabila; Ahshanullah, Mohammad
In South East Asia, Bangladesh is a densely populated country with a well-off tribal presence. Around 58 tribes are living in different parts of the country. Bangladesh has 1.2 million tribal people, which is just above 1 percent of the total population. Whatever the inhabitants they diverge in their traditional social organization, marital customs, rites and rituals, food and other customs from the people of the rest of the country. This paper presents a short description of the demographic and health characteristics of the Tribal people of Rangamati Sadar Thana on the basis of data collected through a field survey. This paper also discovers that the tribal people are lagging behind the general population with respect to demographic, health, political and technological standings and still living with outdated lifestyle and principles.
Teachers quality and teacher education at primary education sub-sector in Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2008) Mullick, Jahirul Islam; Sheesh, Sameeo
The paper discusses the standard of teaching, skills and based on the standards the problems regarding the teachers’ qualification in Bangladesh. It highlights that insufficient knowledge about content pedagogy, not paying adequate attention to intellectual, social, and personal development, ignoring the issues about the diversity of learners, improper and limited use of multiple-instructional strategies, practicing one-way communication, assessing the students’ performance through the conventional methods are the major problems related to teaching skills of primary school teachers in Bangladesh. The article also reveals the shortcomings of the curriculum of Certificate in Education (C-in-Ed), an initial pre-service training for the primary school teachers, e.g., by nature the C-in-Ed curriculum is over-theoretical and it allows the trainee teachers a little time to engage in practice teaching. Besides that, the way forward to producing better qualified teachers have also been discussed in the article.
The stability of a mathematical model in the presence of a preventive vaccine
(BRAC University, 2008) Rahman, Kazi Aminur; Jannatun, Nayeem; Salek, Mr. Md. Abu
Various kinds of deterministic models for the spread of infectious disease in populations have been analyzed mathematically and applied to specific diseases. In this paper a deterministic model for the dynamics of an infectious disease in the presence of a preventive vaccine is formulated. The model is a special case of a more general model, which is also applicable to other models of infectious diseases. The three dimensional model which assumes a non-linear incidence rate is analyzed qualitatively to determine the stability of its equilibria. This model is used to investigate the potential impact of the optimal vaccine coverage threshold needed for disease control and eradication
Taking healthcare where the community is: the story of the Shasthya sebikas of BRAC in Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2008) Ahmed, Syed Masud
To mitigate the income-erosion effect of illness and vulnerability of the poor households, BRAC, an indigenous Bangladeshi NGO, integrates Essential Health Care (EHC) activities with its microcredit-based poverty-alleviation interventions. The EHC delivers preventive and basic curative health services to the villagers through Shasthya Sebika (SS) who is the community health worker selected from among the village-based women's credit group members who is willing to provide voluntary services, and acceptable to the community she serves. The SSs receive four weeks basic residential training backed up by regular monthly refreshers. For specific programmes such as DOTS, community-based ARI, or safe motherhood, the SSs are given additional training. Each SS covers around 250 households, and she makes at least once a month visit to the households. During these visits, they disseminate health, nutrition and family planning messages, motivate to install tube-wells and sanitary latrines, identify and register pregnancy cases, identify TB suspects for sputum examination, provide treatment for common illnesses and sell health commodities. The SSs work on voluntary basis but earn some income from the sale of health commodities. Meticulous selection, training, supportive supervision, functional referral linkage and performance-based incentives are key factors responsible for the sustenance of the model till date.
Study of sans distribution function for different particles at different conditions
(BRAC University, 2008) Ullah, A.K.M. Shafiq; Ahsan, M. H.; Ahmed, F. U.; Kamal, I.
The size and shape of a particle can be found out by the analysis of form factor distributions in small angle neutron scattering. In the present work, the form factors were calculated theoretically by computer program and their plots were analyzed to find out the size and shape of the particles. The structure factor, on the other hand was found to be very useful to find out the particle separation and concentration of the particles. The structure factors were calculated for three potentials (i) Screened Coulomb Potential (ii) Hard Sphere Repulsion and (iii) Baxter Hard Sphere Model and their plots were analyzed to see the effects of structure factor on particle separation, concentration, particle charge, potential height, potential width and temperature.
Perceptions of mental illness in a Bangladesh village
(BRAC University, 2008) Selim, Nasima; Satalkar, Priya
In this paper, we discuss the perceptions of people from a Bangladeshi village about what they considered to be 'mental illness'. Observations, informal conversations, interviews, focus group discussions, and illness narratives include the perspectives of both the caregivers and the patients in Kakabo. The villagers provided us with local terms (e.g., paglami), their beliefs about illness causation, treatment, and its effects. Some illnesses were believed to be present from birth and mostly incurable. Supernatural causation and local cure were mentioned for some other categories of illness. There were very few instances when they accessed the existing mental health care in the big city. Widespread abuse of various substances was reported. In general, the participants showed broader acceptance of these conditions, excepting certain forms of substance abuse. We discus these findings in relation to defining their perceptions in terms of explanatory model(s). Our analysis is also concerned with the way people 'embody' their 'illness experience', and how this is made relevant for the process of coping with 'mental illness' in the family. Further investigation, however, is required to clarify some of the questions and ambiguities arising from this small-scale exploratory qualitative study.
Millennium development goal of improving maternal health Bangladesh: a review of concepts
(BRAC University, 2008) Akhter, Sanzida
Bangladesh is one of the signatories to the Millennium Declaration 2000, of which, improving maternal health is one of eight goals. Along with the global targets of reducing maternal mortality rate by three quarters between 1990 and 2015, Bangladesh has set some additional targets for achieving the goal by 2015. The main objective of this paper is to make an extensive review on selected studies on maternal mortality, with particular reference to: (1) historical and present interventions to avert maternal mortality, and (2) the six targets of MDG Five set for Bangladesh. A conceptual framework has been developed where the global target is integrated into the targets set by Bangladesh. This paper concludes maternal mortality is a multifaceted and broad based issue to be considered. The inclusion of additional targets in MDG Five for Bangladesh also reflects this complex reality of maternal mortality.
Inadequacies and variations of maternity leave policies throughout the world: special focus on Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2008) Anam, Rumana Liza
There has been a dramatic increase in the representation of women in the workforce in Bangladesh and throughout the world. However, women face major hurdles in most parts of the world in their advancement in organizations as maternity leave and other benefits such as on site crèche or flextime are still not provided as per requirements. Thus women are falling behind in their careers throughout the world. There are also wide disparities in the benefits women get legally in different parts of the world. This review paper seeks to collect the answers to many questions about maternity leave heretofore largely un-addressed.
Factors determining the presence of glass ceiling and influencing women career advancement in Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2008) Afza, Syeda Rownak; Newaz, Mohammad Khaleq
The purpose of the study is to examine the existence of glass ceiling in different industries and service sectors in Bangladesh. This study also attempts to identify the contributing factors which create the glass ceiling effects and women career advancement in an organization. The analysis of this study indicates five factors responsible for glass ceiling effects which eventually restricts women career opportunity and progression at a certain stage. The identified factors are: management perception, work environment, work life conflict, sexual harassment and organizational policy. From analyzing the data it can be inferred that respondents agreed to some extent about the existence of glass ceiling in their respective organization. According to the respondent's opinion management perception and work environment are most significant factors for creating glass ceiling where as organizational policy and work life conflict are the second most significant factors. On the other hand respondent disagree about sexual harassment as a contributing factor for creating glass ceiling effect in the organization. Whereas pleasant appearance, attitude towards organization, career focused and family support influences career advancement of women in an organization. Implication and areas for future research have also been considered.
Does inconsistency with 'Fundamental principles of state policy' invalidate a law?
(BRAC University, 2008) Chowdhury, M. Jashim Ali
There is a struggle throughout the world on the issue of justiciability of socio-economic rights. It is forcefully argued that socio-economic rights should be given the same status as that of civil political rights. Ensuring the judicial enforcement of socio-economic rights has been considered a prime issue in this regard. In Bangladesh, Part II of the Constitution embodies the socio-economic rights as "Fundamental Principles of State Policy" whereas "Fundamental Rights" consisting of Civil Political rights find place in Part III. Article 8(2) of the Constitution makes the Principles and thereby the socio-economic rights judicially non-enforceable. This provision came under judicial consideration in Kudrat-e-Elahi v. Bangladesh case. The Appellate Division relied on nonenforceability criteria (in article 8(2)) to hold that a law cannot be repealed only on the ground of inconsistency with fundamental principles. This article attempts to submit the opposite.
Computational fluid dynamics study of flow behaviour in a single spacer filled membrane module
(BRAC University, 2008) Hussain, Sharmina
Membrane separation processes have added a new dimension to the traditional processes. The recent novel development in membrane processes have made it possible to use various different purposes at economical rates with additional flexibility and improved efficiencies. Regarding the membrane separation processes, concentration polarization is one of the biggest problems. It causes reduction of permeate flux and deterioration of permeate quality. Accumulation of rejected species can be suppressed by creating back mixing from the membrane to the bulk of the liquid. Various hydrodynamic approaches have been developed for that purpose. Feed spacers can provide higher shear rates at the membrane surface, which, promote the mixing between the bulk of the fluid and the fluid element adjacent to the membrane surface. As a result concentration polarization and membrane fouling can be reduced. The present work is devoted to investigate the hydrodynamics in two dimensional single spacer filled channels. Two different configurations of the cylindrical spacers are investigated with different channel Reynolds number. Different size and shape of formation of recirculation region, upstream and downstream of the spacers are closely observed. This recirculation region has an important role in enhancing the mass transfer in the reattachment region.
Community economic development ultimately ensures social development
(BRAC University, 2008) Mathbor, Golam M.
Community Economic Development (CED), a North American perspective which focuses on creating employment, income maintenance, empowering powerless and poor people, business development, sharing ownership, and government involvement in local development, is one of the most suitable interventions for achieving social development. However, it is critical that this intervention be culturally specific to the target population. This article briefly reviews the history of CED, definition, the concept of community, economic and social objectives, capital development, and the principles of empowerment. The Link between Community Economic Development and the principle of empowerment is also made. Four dimensions of empowerment are discussed. They are: personal empowerment, educational empowerment, economic empowerment and political empowerment. It is expected that the review will be useful to students and teachers, policy-makers and practitioners interested in the social development field.

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