Effect of stocking density on growth performance of monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with Indian spinach (Basella alba) in a recirculating aquaponic system

An experiment was conducted to compare effect of stocking density on growth performance of monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with Indian spinach (Basella alba) in a recirculating aquaponic system. The experiment was set-up for 8 weeks under 4 treatments with three replications, where stocking density of tilapia were 30, 50, 70 and 90 fish/tank (300 litre) in treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Water from the tank was recirculated through a vegetable growing tray. Each of the tray was 0.15 m3in size, which was planted with 12 plants (Indian spinach). The fish of all the treatments was fed two times a day. During the experimental period,the range of water temperature was 27.1 to 31.50 C, pH 7.48 to 8.28, ammonia 0.2 to 2.0 mg/l and dissolve oxygen 5.11 to 6.58 mg/l. At the end of the experiment, average weight gain, final length, specific growth rate (%/day), survival rate was significantly higher in T1 (30 fish/tank) treatment while the net yield of fish and plant biomass was higher in T2 (50 fish/tank) treatment.Therefore, the study suggests that stocking density of 50 fish/tank for tilapia, i.e. 167 fish/m3, is suitable for production of both plant and fish in a recirculating aquaponic system

Duration of Breastfeeding and Its Correlates in Bangladesh

The purpose of this study was to assess the duration of breastfeeding and the sociodemographic factors affecting it. Data for the study were drawn from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004. In total 5,364 mothers were included in the study. The life table and Cox's proportional hazards model were employed for the analysis of breastfeeding-related data, which showed that the average duration of breastfeeding was 31.9 months. Cox regression analysis revealed that the duration of breastfeeding was positively associated with maternal age, contraceptive-use, work status, and religion and was negatively associated with age at marriage, parity, delivery status, region, and maternal education. Younger mothers, having higher education, higher maternal parity, caesarean-section birth, being a Muslim, and mothers who have not used any contraceptive were associated with lower duration of breastfeeding. The findings suggest that health institutions can play a significant role in promoting breastfeeding in Bangladesh. Educational campaigns that stress the benefits of lactation are important strategies for encouraging mothers to breastfeed longer

Homes and Loans: Decoding Bangladesh's Housing Finance Sector

Housing accommodation is a fundamental demand of the people. With the increasing population, urbanization and supply of land being scarce in urban areas, there has been a declining trend of independent housing accommodation in urban areas. This has given impetus to the growth and development of apartment-based housing accommodation. Also, in view of the rising prices of apartment accommodation, and no corresponding rise in the income of potential buyers of housing apartments, the need for a housing loan increased manifold. To meet the needs of housing loans, financial institutions play a vital role providing loans for the construction and purchase of houses at different rates and varying conditions. This study intends to find out the performances of housing finance sector of Bangladesh and address some constraints to the functioning of housing finance markets and possible measure to overcome those obstacles. Keywords: Housing Accommodation, Housing Finance, Operational and Financial performance, Constraints, Real estate financial market. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/14-20-03 Publication date: December 31st 202

Failure Factors of Platform Start-ups: A Systematic Literature Review

Purpose: The quantity of platform start-ups is rising consistently. Nonetheless, it has been discovered that a large number of the new businesses crash and burn toward the starting stages and the greater part of them fall flat in under five years. The reasons for such failure are still to be uncovered in a systematic way. While there are adequate investigations that have independently propounded different reasons, this study aims to examine these reasons together by proposing a theoretical structure that will recognize the elements impacting the failure of platform start-ups. Methodology: An extensive systematic literature review was led to uncover and examine the different elements answerable for the failure of such platforms. A sum of 113 scholarly and non-scholastic sources were inspected and broke down to distinguish the basic elements. Findings/Contribution: For platform failure, three classes have been revealed including organizational, business model innovation, and environmental. In addition, 29 basic elements have been identified and classified into six categories while concentrating on similar ramifications. Utilizing the recognized components, the authors have proposed a map. This map uncovers that different elements are liable for platform failure. Media platform start-ups can be profited to a great extent from this study

Effects of cyberbullying on college-going girls in Tangail Sadar: Nature, causes, and consequences

Cyberbullying has turned into a vital issue in the recent world. Especially, girls are the main victim of cyberbullying.  This study has focused on the nature, causes, and effects as well as identifying the relationship between spent time on social media and the effects of cyberbullying on college girl students in Tangail Sadar. 153 students between the ages of 16 and 19 served as the study's respondents and a mixed approach was employed. Multistage sampling and purposive sampling methods are used, Survey and interview techniques are used to gather data from the respondents. The study reveals that cyberbullying emerges most commonly from a low mentality towards girls, revenge, for having fun or entertainment, social media activities, clothing of girls, lack of morality, etc. and most of the bullying is related to messaging, sexual harassment, spreading rumors, comments, disclosing private info, sending unwanted images or videos type of cyberbullying; Victims experience bad effects as consequences, especially on their psychology (stress, depression and impact on their academic life). Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that does not need any strong reason to have occurred because the offender stays confidential in the cyber world. Therefore, our government must be conscious of solving this issue

The students’ career choice and job preparedness strategies: A social environmental perspective

The study aimed to investigate the factors determining the students’ career choice and find out their job preparedness strategies. Moreover, the study sought to propose a theory which could explain the students’ career choice from a social environmental perspective. Primary data for this study were collected from 120 students selected from fourteen academic departments of the Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) in Bangladesh based on snow-ball sampling. The study revealed that several factors involving students’ family preferences, teachers’ advice, job prestige, job security, remunerations, scope of promotion, scope of pension, scope of professional development, personal interests, academic majors, educational attainments and career development trainings have significant association with the students’ career decision-making. However, gender and social class did not have significant effects on the students’ career choice. The study proposed a career choice theory which indicates that the students’ career choice and career preferences are not determined by their personal interests alone; rather they are determined by the interplay of several social, cultural and economic forces. The study indicated that the majority of the respondents undertake self-study to pursue their preferred jobs. While career development trainings play an important role in developing the competencies of the students for jobs, a majority of the respondents do not have such trainings. As such, the study suggested that the students of the NSTU should undertake career development courses as a strategy for job preparedness. Finally, the study suggested that the NSTU should set up a career guidance and counseling cell to link their students with the current labor market

Factors Affecting Employee Engagement: A Study on Private Organizations in Bangladesh

Employee engagement is essential for a company to maintain positive and productive work environment. Employee engagement and motivation at work are key factors in the success of teams and the entire organization. It improves productivity, reduces turnover rates, and fosters a positive work culture. This study explores the various ways in which organizations can increase employee engagement and motivation. The study also highlights the importance of leaders and managers in promoting a supportive work culture. Employee engagement is used to describe a worker's emotional and intellectual attachment to their organization, which expresses as dedication, enthusiasm, excitement, focused work, and enthusiasm. Engaged workers typically feel better about their jobs. Companies with engaged employees also typically generate higher profit. The study discusses the importance of work independency, equitable pay structure, professional growth, work-life balance, and cooperation of supervisor co-worker. This study identifies the most influential drivers that motivate employees to engage their job psychologically and physically. This study also determine the factor that policy maker should consider in order to increase employee engagement. Keywords: Employee engagement, work independency, work-life balance, Professional growth DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/15-16-03 Publication date:September 30th 2023

Effects of radiation and plant population on growth and yield attributes of wheat

Radiation plays a crucial role for growth and yield of wheat. A field experiment was conducted at the Field Laboratory of Agrotechnology Discipline of Khulna University in Bangladesh during November 2018 to March 2019 to study the effect of radiation levels and plant population on growth and yield attributes of wheat. The study was set out in the randomized complete block design with four radiation levels (full sunlight, 75% light, 55% light, 25% light) and three plant population densities (160 plant/m2, 200 plant/m2, 230 plant/m2) that replicated thrice. Growth and yield attributes of wheat were generally similar between two light levels (full sunlight, 75% light) and two plant densities (200 plant/m2, 230 plant/m2). However, the attributes were usually minimum at 25% light. The interaction effect of full sunlight or 75% light with optimal (200 plant/m2) or maximal (230 plant/m2) plant densities produced statistically similar plant height, leaf number, tiller number, total dry matter, grain yield, straw yield, and biological yield. Therefore, combination of 75% light with 230 plant/m2 is suggested for growing wheat in light limited areas and in agroforestry system with acceptable yield

Long-term fertilization effect on yield and land productivity of rice-wheat cropping system of Bangladesh

A factorial study was carried out at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University to determine the effect of long term fertilization on yield performance of T. aman rice and wheat. The experimental plot received different organic manures for the last 26 years (1988-2014). The organic manure cowdung, compost, green manure and rice straw were applied at the rate of 25, 25, 7.5 and 1.5 t ha-1, respectively in a yearly sequence. Three levels of nitrogen viz., 0, 75 and 100 kg ha-1for rice and 0, 80 and 120 kg ha-1 for wheat were applied. Application of nitrogen fertilizer along with organic manure significantly increased yield of rice and wheat .The highest rice grain yield was found in 2014 under the N75 and no manure treatment, which was 6.48 t ha-1 whereas grain yield of wheat was found maximum in 2008 from the interaction of N120 and rice straw application where yield was recorded 5.25 t ha-1. In rice-wheat cropping sequence, the plots that received no nitrogen, LPI value was less than 2 (0.80) in the observed years. When the plots were treated with nitrogen fertilizer showed LPI values > 2 in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013, which indicates the trend of higher productivity of land due to long term fertilization. The maximum sustainable yield index was found in rice (0.69)> wheat (0.40) with 100 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1 N treatment respectively.  So, Long term fertilization strategy can be effective way to improve the yield, land productivity and sustainable yield index of rice and wheat through rescheduling the rates of organic and inorganic fertilizers that ensure balanced supply of plant nutrients

Problem with Human Resource Accounting and A Possible Solution

The idea of Human Resource Accounting (HRA) has been a debatable issue by academicians, accountants and standards setters universally. This study critically assesses the concept of HRA in order to unveil its strengths and weaknesses. Descriptive and content analyses were used in collecting data through documented texts, journal articles and other publications. The existing models proffered under the HRA were adequately reviewed and objectively criticized so that more comprehensive could be developed. The study revealed that the conceptualization of HRA, the ideas incorporated therein, and arguments are good for the accounting profession and corporate financial reporting. But the existing models yet proposed are not in a state to implement HRA practice worldwide. Hence this paper proposes a solution in line with existing framework of accounting that could be adopted by the standard setters. The study, however, recommends that more interest should be accorded to the concept of HRA in order to stimulate more comprehensive researches aimed at simplifying the concept and boosting its applicability. Key Words: Human Resource Accounting (HRA), Human Capital, Intellectual Capital, Matching principle, IAS, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS