It is estimated that over 30 million people are exposed to arsenic from drinking contaminated groundwater in Bangladesh. Furthermore, due to the use of contaminated water for irrigation purposes, arsenic and other toxic elements are entering the food chain of Bangladeshis. In this thesis, the total levels of toxic elements (As, Cd, Pb) and essential elements (Mn, Se, Zn) in 1,120 samples of Bangladeshi foods (including rice, vegetables, fish) and non-foods (betel quid and baked clay) imported into the United Kingdom were determined. From this analysis, it is concluded that Bangladeshis are exposed to high levels of toxic elements. Inorganic arsenic levels in Bangladeshi rice can be very high, especially from regions with high arsenic in groundwater. However, there is a lack of studies in the literature regarding arsenic levels in rice from regions in Bangladesh with relatively low levels of arsenic in the groundwater. Therefore, rice from one such region (Sylhet district) was analysed. The results indicated that boro (mean 71.7 µg/kg) and aman (mean 85.7 µg/kg) rice from Sylhet contained between 2 to 4-fold lower levels of arsenic, compared to other regions of Bangladesh thus far reported in the literature. Arsenic speciation was carried out on a selection of rice (aromatic and non-aromatic) from Sylhet region and this revealed 70% (mean value) as inorganic arsenic (AsIII and AsV), which is similar to rice grown in other regions of Bangladesh. Importantly, it was found that the arsenic levels of aromatic rice (mean 48.5 µg/kg) from Sylhet region was over 40% lower than that of non-aromatic rice (mean 81 µg/kg). The aromatic rice also contained higher levels of essential elements (such as Se and Zn). It was calculated that for an individual consuming 0.5 kg of rice per day, switching from consumption of non-aromatic rice to aromatic rice would increase Se and Zn intake by 46% and 23% respectively. Arsenic speciation was also carried out on other Bangladeshi food and non-food items, including fish, betel quid and baked clay, to obtain a better insight into exposure to toxic arsenic species. High levels of arsenic (range 3.8-13.1 mg/kg) and lead (range 21-26.7 mg/kg) were detected in the baked clay samples, which are consumed by some Bangladeshi women in an ancient practice known as geophagy. The efficiency of arsenic extraction from baked clay was 33% of the total arsenic present and the main arsenic species present was inorganic AsV (100%); AsIII was not detected in these samples. Millions of Bangladeshis chew betel quid and this contained predominantly AsIII species (extraction efficiency was 100%). Arsenic and lead intake from eating baked clay could exceed the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) by 2- and 5-fold respectively. For the first time, arsenic speciation in Bangladeshi fish is reported. Hilsha, which is a very popular fish in Bangladesh, contained 2.55 mg/day (mean value) of total arsenic. Extraction efficiencies (%) were 59 – 89 for fish flesh, over 69% of arsenic present in the extract was dimethyl arsenic acid (DMA) species with about 11% arsenobetaine (AsBet) and 19% arsenosugar. These studies reveal that rice, betel quids and baked clay can be a significant source of exposure to inorganic arsenic and DMA in Bangladeshis. Exposure to cadmium is linked with kidney disease and over 20 million people in Bangladesh suffer from chronic kidney disease. Results obtained showed that the daily intake of cadmium by the Bangladeshi population from baked clay (mean 17 µg/day), rice (mean 18.6 µg/day) and certain leafy vegetables (mean 12 µg/day) was higher total daily intake compared to other countries. Surprisingly, puffed rice, which is commonly consumed by Bangladeshis, contained much higher levels of cadmium (mean 67.9 µg/kg) and lead (mean 98 µg/kg), compared to uncooked rice (cadmium, 37.2 µg/kg; lead, 18.9 µg/kg). This may be related to the illegal practice of using urea for whitening puffed rice in Bangladesh. Exposure to manganese in the Bangladeshi population through drinking water has been previously highlighted as a possible health problem, although the intake from foods and non-food has not been reported. The daily manganese intake by Bangladeshis was calculated to be 20.3 mg/day, which is higher than any other country in the world thus far reported. Betel quid components have high levels of manganese and this was reflected by higher urinary manganese the mean urinary Mn levels in chewers (1.93 µg/L, SD 1.8) was significantly higher (3.1 fold; P = 0.009) compared to non-chewers (0.62 µg/L, SD 0.4). Bangladeshi women who eat baked clay and chew betel quids are likely to be exposed to high levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic elements. This is particularly of concern for pregnant women as these metals can be transferred to the unborn baby through the placenta. For assessing the risk of exposure to toxic elements versus intake of essential elements from the same foods, a Food Toxicity Scale (FTS) was devised in order to identify foods that are beneficial or harmful. FTS values were obtained by calculating the toxic elements : essential elements ratio (As:Se, As:Zn etc) and the value obtained subsequently multiplied by toxic element concentration and the quantity of the particular food consumed per day. The higher the FTS value, the greater the risk of exposure to harmful elements. Rice and leafy vegetables had the highest FTS values, partly because large quantities of these foods are consumed. However, lentils and animal products (such as small fish) had relatively lower FTS values compared to other foods. Total daily intake of arsenic (306 µg/day), selenium (90.4 µg/day), cadmium (34.6 µg/day), lead (74.4 µg/day), manganese (20.3 mg/day) and zinc (11.2 mg/day) in the Bangladeshi population was calculated. The intake of arsenic and manganese exceeds the PMTDI for these elements. Water was the highest source of arsenic exposure in Bangladeshis followed by rice. For cadmium and lead, rice and leafy vegetables were the key contributors to the daily intake. The results presented in this thesis show that Bangladeshis are exposed to high levels of toxic elements and how modifications can be made to their diet to not only reduce their exposure to toxic elements but also increase the intake of essential elements. This could be achieved by a combination of the following: (i) reducing the intake of rice (by about 50%); (ii) switching to eating aromatic rice; (iii) increasing the intake of animal products (meat, fish etc.); (iv) decreasing the intake of certain leafy vegetables; and (v) stopping or reducing the practice of eating baked clay and chewing betel quid.

Due to the rapid urbanization and globalization, urban social life is getting more complex thanever. Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden, is the residence of about 180 nationalities thatmakes it one of the prominent multicultural cities in Europe. Moreover, sustainable developmentis one of the main goals of the Swedish government. In this circumstance, it is the challenge tomake a socially cohesive society to ensure its social and economic development. This study isaimed to have an inner look at social cohesiveness between Bangladeshi community and otherethnic groups including native Swedish in Stockholm from a qualitative research approach. Asocial cohesion framework has been formulated by analyzing various literatures for the purposeof this study. This social cohesion framework comprises of social, cultural, political andeconomic indicators to understand the different dimensions of social cohesion in Stockholm.This framework is used during preparation of the questionnaire for conducting the qualitativesurvey that includes twelve in-depth interviews. Empirical result reveals that Bangladeshicommunity has a weak sense of belonging and a lack of common identity to the mainstreamsociety, rather they have stronger attachment to other Bangladeshi immigrants in Stockholm.Although lack of social cohesiveness has been found between Bangladeshi immigrants and otherresidents in Stockholm, but many threats to social cohesion (for example; racial conflict) areabsent in Stockholm. Therefore, it is a reachable challenge to make this society cohesive for thebetterment of the country by initiating proper measures.

This thesis explores the production of Bangladeshi domestic workers' legal status in Hong Kong. Bangladeshi domestic workers started entering Hong Kong in 2013 and they were expected to gradually become one of the major national groups of domestic workers. But within the first two years, 50 to 60% of them left formal employment. In the migration industry, that phenomenon was referred to as the "runaway crisis". While the runaway crisis took place between 2013 and 2015, some Bangladeshi domestic workers still run away. I would like to reflect upon the migration experiences of Bangladeshi women recruited by two employment agencies and one small association of employment agencies and identify forces impacting their decision-making over their legal status. In doing that, I build upon feminist geography of domestic work and migration studies, Foucault's work on governmentality and Ahmed's affective economies which I extend by elaborating on her understanding of lovability with which I engage to argue for a performative view of legality. The main methodology of the research is feminist ethnography where data were collected during 2-year long field work in Bangladeshi training centers and Hong Kong agencies. The research suggests that domestic workers' legal status is produced in a multi-layered process which includes social structures and power dynamics and affects in migration industry institutions.

The predominance of International Higher Education has switched from the USA, Canada, England and Australia, the pioneers of internationalization of higher education, to Europe and other countries. European countries have become the higher study destination for many students from all over the world. Own strategies and policies for internationalization have developed by European countries, building on and seeing beyond the policies stipulated by the European Commission. As a member of European Union, Swedish Government and universities have developed strategies, measures and tools to attract international students. Scholarships and grants, different projects, extended visa, education quality, social security, ranking of institutions etc. play important role behind third country students choosing Sweden for higher studies. However, other features such as education cost, ideological affinity, language aptitude, job availability, easy visa process etc. can influence the choice of students. These features make Sweden attractive as higher education destination to Bangladeshi Students. This study tries to understand the factors behind decision of Bangladeshi students choosing Swedish University for tertiary education. The study also attempts to discuss the experience of Bangladeshi students during their study period in Sweden as well as after finishing study. The theory of “Push and Pull factors” is used as the main theoretical reference to discuss findings of the study. Social insecurity, political instability, education opportunity and quality of home country, personal choice, job opportunity etc. are recognized as major ‘push factors and education quality, world class institution, social security, standard of life, easy application process etc. are recognized as ‘pull factors’ behind the decision of Bangladeshi student choosing Sweden as higher education destination. The Study not only discusses the challenges and experiences of Bangladeshi students including covid-19 situation but also gives implications for future students.  The data was collected by taking interviews from the Bangladeshi students studying at masters’ level in Umea university, Sweden and used qualitative method for analysis.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to identify the major school improvement needs and related strategies for two Bangladeshi secondary public schools based upon the perceptions of in-school professionals, parents, and students. To implement the study, I employed the constructivist/interpretive paradigm with a case study as my research design. The data collection techniques of document analysis, Nominal Group Technique (NGT) meetings, and individual interviews were utilized. For the purpose of NGT meetings, from each school, one teacher group, one parent group, and one student group were interviewed. After the completion of NGT meetings, individual interviews were held with one participant selected from each NGT group. I also interviewed the headmasters of the two schools. This study revealed that in a Bangladeshi educational context, major catalysts for improvement were market mechanisms and educational policies. The most significant finding of this study was that considering contextual applicability before implementing new initiatives was a critical strategy toward achieving sustainable school improvement in Bangladesh. The data indicated that in these schools, desired improvement efforts mainly consisted of two clusters: identifying the key school improvement needs and developing the strategies to meet those needs. The data revealed that the identified school improvement needs can be grouped into providing the resources and improving the school culture. To enhance school effectiveness, these Bangladeshi schools need to recruit more specialized teachers, implement effective instructional methodologies, elevate the image of teaching profession, and provide teacher-led professional development. Participants identified other suggested school improvement needs to be: low student-teacher ratio, good textbooks, more extracurricular activities, and more instructional materials (such as, computers, projectors, televisions, sound system, and so on). This study also revealed a strong perception that the role of collaboration in improving school culture is crucial. Participants explained that in order to successfully implement improvement initiatives, major challenges to the process need to be addressed. Participants identified three important barriers to implementation. These included lack of attention to the voices of all stakeholders during policymaking, the misuses of private tutoring or coaching, and lack of commitment among some of the teachers in their teaching. Findings affirmed that these barriers could be addressed by including all stakeholders voices in educational policy-making, addressing the misuses of private tutoring or coaching, and making teachers more accountable. A number of implications for theory, practice, policy, and further research arose from this study. Participants noted that teachers, parents, students, teacher-training authority, Bangladeshi Government, Non Government Organizations, school administrators, and district administrators were co-responsible within their own capacities to provide the necessary support and resources for school improvement in Bangladeshi context.

The purpose of this study was to identify the major school improvement needs and related strategies for two Bangladeshi secondary public schools based upon the perceptions of in-school professionals, parents, and students. To implement the study, I employed the constructivist/interpretive paradigm with a case study as my research design. The data collection techniques of document analysis, Nominal Group Technique (NGT) meetings, and individual interviews were utilized. For the purpose of NGT meetings, from each school, one teacher group, one parent group, and one student group were interviewed. After the completion of NGT meetings, individual interviews were held with one participant selected from each NGT group. I also interviewed the headmasters of the two schools. This study revealed that in a Bangladeshi educational context, major catalysts for improvement were market mechanisms and educational policies. The most significant finding of this study was that considering contextual applicability before implementing new initiatives was a critical strategy toward achieving sustainable school improvement in Bangladesh. The data indicated that in these schools, desired improvement efforts mainly consisted of two clusters: identifying the key school improvement needs and developing the strategies to meet those needs. The data revealed that the identified school improvement needs can be grouped into providing the resources and improving the school culture. To enhance school effectiveness, these Bangladeshi schools need to recruit more specialized teachers, implement effective instructional methodologies, elevate the image of teaching profession, and provide teacher-led professional development. Participants identified other suggested school improvement needs to be: low student-teacher ratio, good textbooks, more extracurricular activities, and more instructional materials (such as, computers, projectors, televisions, sound system, and so on). This study also revealed a strong perception that the role of collaboration in improving school culture is crucial. Participants explained that in order to successfully implement improvement initiatives, major challenges to the process need to be addressed. Participants identified three important barriers to implementation. These included lack of attention to the voices of all stakeholders during policymaking, the misuses of private tutoring or coaching, and lack of commitment among some of the teachers in their teaching. Findings affirmed that these barriers could be addressed by including all stakeholders voices in educational policy-making, addressing the misuses of private tutoring or coaching, and making teachers more accountable. A number of implications for theory, practice, policy, and further research arose from this study. Participants noted that teachers, parents, students, teacher-training authority, Bangladeshi Government, Non Government Organizations, school administrators, and district administrators were co-responsible within their own capacities to provide the necessary support and resources for school improvement in Bangladeshi context.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine if accent related discrimination exists in the work place for persons who speak with an Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi accent. An additional purpose was to explore the participants’ knowledge and willingness to enroll in accent modification therapy and their general feelings regarding this type of therapy. Method: A 57 item survey that was developed to address our research questions was distributed through Survey Monkey to various listservs, organizations and personal contacts. These methods yielded a total of 279 participants, with 110 participants included in the present study. Results: Majority of participants reported that they do not think their accent is difficult to understand and also felt that their accent was accepted. No significant trends were found between length of time living and working in the United States and accent discrimination. However, per participant report, discrimination appears to be more prevalent in the initial part of the employment process (applying for a position and during the beginning portion of their employment). Most participants had never heard of and/or previously enrolled in accent modification therapy. In addition, approximately half said that they would not voluntarily enroll in accent modification therapy, but the remaining participants either responded that they would consider enrolling or they would definitely enroll. Further, half the participants reported that they would not have negative feelings if it was recommended by their employer that they enroll in therapy. Conclusions: This preliminary data suggests that accent discrimination towards individuals who speak with an Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi accent does exist in the workplace. Results also indicate a disconnect between existence of discrimination and awareness of discrimination, either due to the survey limitations or an emerging awareness on the part of the participants. Additionally, few participants reported knowledge of accent modification therapy. Negative feelings towards enrolling in accent modification therapy were within in minority. This data, in addition to reasons to enroll in therapy provided by participants, will aid speech-language pathologists in creating appropriate therapy programs for this unique population. / text

ABSTRACT Using a qualitative methodology, I conducted this study to identify the barriers to women’s post-secondary education in Bangladesh and to investigate the possible strategies to remove those barriers, from the perspectives of three Bangladeshi women who received post-secondary education in Bangladesh and who are currently living in Canada. To explore participants’ perceptions, I used open-ended structured interviews. I then analyzed data using the conceptual framework of subsystems within an open systems theory. The study revealed that the barriers Bangladeshi women encounter when pursuing a post-secondary education are vast and complex. The findings from this study indicated that Bangladeshi women face barriers from multi-level social subsystems such as family, financial, educational, socio-cultural, political, and governmental subsystems. Six broad themes of major barriers emerged from participants’ reports: (a) financial constraints; (b) socio-cultural practices and attitudes; (c) male domination; (d) inadequate education facilities; (e) student politics and unstable political situations; and (f) corrupt government and inconsistent implementation of law and punishment. Within these six themes, the study identified various factors that hamper women’s post-secondary education in Bangladesh. The participants suggested strategies that may help those who make and implement policy find ways to minimize barriers to women’s post-secondary education in Bangladesh and beyond. The results showed that since the barriers are multifaceted, positive collaboration between the various levels of social subsystems in Bangladesh can reduce the difficulties and may profoundly change the overall Bangladeshi attitude towards women and their education. The family or the government systems alone are not enough to remove the deeply-rooted barriers to Bangladeshi women’s higher learning. Future research might explore the perceptions of a larger sample of Bangladeshi women who are in Bangladesh but could not obtain post-secondary education. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-28 14:18:40.578