Access to Education in Bangladesh: Country Analytic Review of Primary and Secondary Education

This country analytical review examines the key issues in access to and participation in primary and secondary education in Bangladesh, with a special focus on areas and dimensions of exclusion. Against a background of overall progress, particularly in closing the gender gap in primary and secondary enrollment, the research applies a conceptual framework outlining different forms of exclusion and presents two significant findings which compromise access and diminish gains made: high dropout rates at primary and secondary levels and nominal access but virtual exclusion from quality learning. Other areas surveyed in the review include interventions by public sector and non-governmental providers in primary and secondary education as well as the financing of basic education. This review of the literature concludes with suggestions for future research directions that might lead to new understanding and insights on equitable access and participation

Voltage stability assessment for distrbuted generation in islanded microgrid system

The increasing energy demands are stressing the generation and transmission capabilities of the power system. Distributed generation (DG), which generally located in distribution systems, has the ability to meet some of the growing energy demands. However, unplanned application of individual distributed generators might cause other technical problems. The microgrid concept has the potential to solve major problems arising from large penetration of DG in distribution systems. A microgrid is not a forceful system when it is compared to a power system. This project proposes a simulation approach to study voltage stability index (VSI) and voltage stability analysis in microgrid system for the improvement of the dynamic voltage stability in a microgrid in case of the dynamic voltage insufficiency. A model of IEEE-14 Bus System has been presented as a case study of an islanded microgird system. This project also presented line voltage stability index analysis which accurately performs voltage stability analysis at each transmission line and precisely predicts voltage collapse on power systems. A formula to calculate VSI has been derived and applied on two cases on the system. To show the effectiveness of the proposed voltage stability analysis method, this approach is implemented in a microgrid test system (14-bus, 20 lines) in PSAT which is a MATLAB toolbox environment. The test system has four diesel DGs and a wind turbine connected with eleven constant loads. The dynamic simulation of the test system is carried out for various types of disturbances. Islanded mode of operation is considered in this study. Fast Voltage Stability Index (FVSI) and voltage stability analysis have been successfully implemented and analysed

Evaluation of heavy metals pollution in the soil of Helwan, Cairo, Egypt using magnetic and chemical analysis techniques

In the present study, we have applied magnetics and geochemical analysis in order to investigate the heavy metal contamination in Helwan area, Cairo, Egypt. We have collected 52 soil samples from Industry zones and urban areas. We characterized the spatial pollution pattern using ICP-MS and found enrichments in seven potentially toxic heavy metals; Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Sb, Cd, and Hg, located near industrial zones, with high pollution levels. The bulk magnetic susceptibility values (k) measured on samples range between a maximum of 3560 × 10-6 SI near the Industry Zone area and 168 × 10-6 SI locate in the eastern part of the study area (sandy soil), which is not fairly affected by pollution (un-urbanized). The mass-specific magnetic susceptibility (χ) measured on samples ranges between 0.058 × 10-6 and 2.83 × 10-6 m3/kg. Thermomagnetic runs reveal that magnetite and Ti-rich titanomagnetite control the magnetic signal. The spatial distribution of the mass-specific magnetic susceptibility (χ) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) shows the highest values in industrial areas

Transformative Governance through Freedom of Choices in a South Asian Megacity: A Critical Review

Οι αναπτυσσόμενες χώρες και οι οικονομίες σε μετάβαση βιώνουν πρωτοφανείς ρυθμούς αστικοποίησης. Αυτό το εντυπωσιακό γεγονός περιλαμβάνει μία ανεπανάληπτη δυναμική συστημάτων ανθρώπινης ασφάλειας και μέσων διαβίωσης. Η παρούσα εργασία μέσω της ανθρωποκεντρικής προσέγγισης επιχειρεί να αναδείξει αυτά τα ζητήματα. Έτσι, οι επιλογές και οι αξίες των ατόμων μπορούν να ερμηνευθούν πιο αποτελεσματικά καθώς και να εκτιμηθούν εντός του κοινωνικοπολιτικού πλαισίου τους. Η φιλοσοφική προσέγγιση βασίζεται στο έργο του Νομπελίστα Οικονομολόγου Amartya Sen. H εργασία διερευνά το βαθμό στον οποίο οι ιδέες του Sen, όσον αφορά στην ελευθερία επιλογών και την προσέγγιση των δυνατοτήτων, μπορούν να βελτιώσουν την αστική διακυβέρνηση σε πόλεις όπως η Ντάκα, η οποία αποτελεί παράδειγμα υπεραστικοποίησης – με αναπτυσσόμενες περιοχές χαμηλού εισοδήματος που βιώνουν σοβαρά φαινόμενα φτώχειας και αποκλεισμού.Countries in the developing regions or transitional economies are now experiencing an unprecedented pace of urbanization. This phenomenal event involves far more complex system dynamics of human security and livelihoods than any times before. This paper is aimed to highlight these issues from human dimensions where peoples’ choices and values are properly addressed and can value in sociopolitical arena. The philosophical inputs have been taken from the remarkable works of Nobel Laureate Economist Amartya Sen. This paper explores how Sen’s ideas on freedom of choice and capability approach can improve the urban governance in cities like Dhaka, which is an example of hyper urbanization in low income developing regions and experiencing severe poverty and exclusion

Climate Change Impacts in Bangladesh Show How Geography, Wealth and Culture Affect Vulnerability

Unpredictable weather and climate patterns recently prompted New York Times columnist Paul Krugman to proclaim in January 2020 that “Apocalypse will become the new normal.” Extreme storms, tides and other awful surprises the world has experienced in recent years suggest that Krugman could be right. July 2019 registered the hottest average global temperature on record. Wildfires, like the dangerous blazes of January 2020 in Australia, endanger health and safety. In Venice in November 2019, the highest tides in 50 years washed more than three feet of water over the landmark Piazza San Marco. About 4,500 miles farther east, in my home country of Bangladesh, people have been living with dangerous flooding for decades. I have devoted my career to understanding how patterns of living combine with climate and weather patterns, making Bangladesh the poster child for global climate change impacts