This study aims to present a comparative study of socioeconomic, physical and urban environmental health condition of two metropolitan cities in Bangladesh. Slums both from Khulna and Rajshahi city were selected for this study. Although both primary and secondary data were used, this study was mainly based on primary data gathered through household questionnaire survey. In order to determine the socio-economic, physical and environmental situations, only those who were the beneficiaries of the UNICEF project were interviewed. The study finds that poor socioeconomic status and inadequacy of urban services has had an immediate effect on urban health special the slum poor in metropolitan cities in the country. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsf.v8i1-2.14628 J. Sci. Foundation, 8(1&2): 67-76, June-December 2010

The positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model was used for the first time to quantify the source contributions to heavy metal pollution of sediment on a national basin scale in the upstream, midstream, and downstream rivers (Teesta and Kortoya-Shitalakkah and Meghna-Rupsha and Pasur) of Bangladesh. The metal contamination status, cooccurrence, and ecotoxicological risk were also investigated. Sediment samples were collected from 30 sites at a depth range of 0 to 20 cm for analysis of 9 metals using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations of metals varied for upstream, lower midstream, and downstream river segments. The results showed that chromium (Cr) exhibited a strong significant co-occurrence network with other metals (e.g., manganese [Mn], iron [Fe], and nickel [Ni]). Monte Carlo simulation results of the geo-accumulation index (Igeo; 63.3%) and risk indices (48.5%) showed that cadmium (Cd) was the main contributor to sediment pollution. However, the cumulative probabilities of sediments being polluted by metals were ranked as "moderate to heavily polluted" (Igeo 46.6%; risk index 16.7%). Toxicity unit results revealed that zinc (Zn) and Cd were the key toxic contributors to sediments. The PMF model predicted metal concentrations and identified 4 potential sources. The agricultural source (factor 1) mostly contributed to copper (Cu; 78.9%) and arsenic (As; 62.8%); Ni (96.9%) and Mn (83.5%) exhibited industrial point sources (factor 2), with 2 hot spots in northwestern and southwestern regions. Cadmium (93.5%) had anthropogenic point sources (factor 3), and Fe (64.3%) and Cr (53.5%) had a mixed source (factor 4). Spatially, similar patterns between PMF apportioning factors and predicted metal sources were identified, showing the efficiency of the model for river systems analysis. The degree of metal contamination in the river segments suggests an alarming condition for biotic components of the ecosystem.

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The Upper Bhuban Member in the Sitakund anticline, Chittagong, Southeastern Bangladesh is constituted by the light gray, light yellow and greenish gray sandstone and siltstone with dark gray, bluish black and black finely laminated silty shale to shale. The lithofacies of massive sandstone(Sm), turbidite sandstone (ST), flat bedded sandstone-siltstone (Sh), ripple cross laminated sandstone-siltstone (Sr), laminated sandstone-siltstone (Sl), lenticular laminated sandstone-siltstone-shale (Sll), wavy laminated silty shale to shale (Fw), laminated shale (Fl) with sub-facies black shale (Flbk) and blue shale (Flb) and mudstone (Fm) have been delineated in this member. Based on genetic aspects the facies are grouped into (1) turbidity generated - and (2) deep marine basin plain facies association. The medium to fine grained facies Sm and ST with or without Sh, Sr, Sl Sll Fw and Fm facies constitutes the turbidity generated facie association. The deep marine basin plain facies association is characterized by the monotonous hemi-pelagic bluish black shale (subfacies Flb) and pelagic black shale (subfacies Flbk) with rare to scare silty stringers of facies Sh, Sr, Sl, Sll and Fw. The facies Sm is turbidity channel in the inner part of medial fan and the complete ST sequence indicates channelized forms, while incomplete ones have been identified as channel or interchannel deposits in medial to distal fan. The facies Flb and Flbk denote deep marine environments above and below the carbonate compensation depth, where the lithofacies facies Sh, Sr, Sl, Sll and Fw were deposited as distal turbidites. The facies sequence of medial to distal fan and deep marine basin plain were repeated and randomly juxtaposed one upon other due to instability of basin probably by faulting along Dauki and adjoining area accompanied by sea level change. The paleoflow pattern indicates that the dominant source of detrius was the Shillong plateau along with minor contribution from the Himalayas and Arakan Yoma Folded Belt. Keywords: Turbidites; Upper Bhuban Member; Sitakund anticline; SE Bangladesh. DOI: 10.3329/jles.v2i2.7491 J. Life Earth Sci., Vol. 2(2) 1-16, 2007