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This paper examines whether attitudes towards electric vehicles (ATEVs), subjective norms (SNs) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) have significant associations with consumer purchase intention (PI) and the purchase behaviour of environmentally friendly vehicles (EFVs). The results from the survey questionnaires are analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings of this paper indicate that ATEV, SN and PBC significantly influence PI. This finding also indicates that environmental consequence and individual preferences do not influence the PI of the respondents. We found that Malaysian car owners are largely unaware of the greenhouse effects on the environment or attach to it little importance, which is reflected in their PI towards EFVs. The outcomes of this study could help policymakers design programmes to influence attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and purchase behaviour to prevent further air pollution and reduce CO2 emissions from the transportation sector.

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With continued climate change, coastal areas are subjected to undesirable situations in the form of sea-level rise and its adverse outcomes like storm surge, flooding and erosion. Being a unique geographic location, low topography, relatively higher population density as well as overwhelming dependence on natural resources, Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable countries exposed to the impacts of global warming and climate change. Bhola in southern Bangladesh represents the world's most dynamic estuary is potentially vulnerable to accelerated sea level rise and associated calamities. The present study aims to develop a coastal vulnerability index (CVI) using eight parameters namely (a) geomorphology, (b) slope, (c) relative sea level change rate, (d) mean tide range (e) shoreline erosion and accretion, (f) population (g) bathymetry and (h) coastal flooding which were addressed as the relative risk variable for the study area using geospatial techniques i.e., Remote Sensing and GIS. The aforementioned parameters were ranked on the basis of their potential contribution to physical changes on the coast, as sea-level rises, and the final calculation was done over 263.87 km shoreline by the square root of the mean values of the ranked variables. According to the vulnerability index, about 22 % corresponding to 57.23 km of the entire coast is under very high-risk and another 29 % representing 75.26 km is under high-risk. Again, 25 % encompassing 67.69 km shoreline is at moderate risk and 24 %, that is 63.69 km shoreline is found to be at low risk. The most vulnerable coastal regions are found mainly along the western coast of Char Fasson and northern and southwestern coast of Bhola Sadar of Bhola Island.

Summary This study presents the first report of length–weight relationships (LWRs) for Apocryptes bato (Hamilton, 1822), Salmophasia phulo (Hamilton, 1822), and Silonia silondia (Hamilton, 1822), excluding Anodontostoma chacunda (Hamilton, 1822), from fishermen's catches landed in a coastal artisanal fishery at Patuakhali, Southern Bangladesh. Specimens were sampled occasionally over a period of 1 year between August 2014 and September 2015. Fishes were collected from coastal fishermen using cast nets (mesh size <0.5 cm) for A. bato, set bag nets (mesh size 0.5 cm) for A. chacunda and S. silondia, and lift nets (mesh size <0.5 cm) for S. phulo. The LWRs obtained were W = 0.006L2.99, (r2) = 0.976, W = 0.011L3.04, (r2) = 0.971, W = 0.006L3.00, (r2) = 0.945 and W = 0.007L2.99, (r2) = 0.988 for A. bato, A. chacunda, S. phulo, and S. silondia, respectively.

Pervasive salinity in soil and water is affecting agricultural yield and the health of millions of delta dwellers in Asia. This is also being exacerbated by climate change through increases in sea-level and tropical storm surges. One consequence of this has been a widespread introduction of salt water shrimp farming. Here, we show, using field data and modeling, how changes in climate and land use are likely to result in increased salinization of shallow groundwater in SE Asian mega-deltas. We also explore possible adaptation options. We find that possible future increase of episodic inundation events, combined with salt water shrimp farming, will cause rapid salinization of groundwater in the region making it less suitable for drinking water and irrigation. However, modified land use and water management practices can mitigate the impacts on groundwater, as well as the overlying soil, from future salinization. The study therefore provides guidance for adaptation planning to reduce future salinization in Asian deltas.

SUMMARY: Female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients are one of the major sources of spread of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of unprotected sex among FSWs in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. A total of 200 FSWs were randomly selected for the survey from February to September 2012. The age range of FSWs was 16-41 years (average age, 24.52 ± 6.26 years), and the majority of these women (84.4z) were married. More than 88z of FSWs reported practicing unprotected sex because of clients' insistence. Further analysis showed a significantly higher rate of protected sex among unmarried FSWs (P º 0.01). Approximately 32z of FSWs did not undergo voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV, and this factor was significantly associated with the education level (P º 0.01), age (P º 0.01), and economic status (P º 0.05). Furthermore, 89.5z respondents did not ask their new clients about VCT/HIV status, and this factor was associated with the resident area (P º 0.05), age (P º 0.05), and economic status (P º 0.01) of FSWs. Authorities in this country should focus their HIV/AIDS prevention efforts on illiterate FSWs, married FSWs, and FSWs aged below 21 years or above 30 years.