As a disaster prone country, Bangladesh is regularly hit by natural hazards, including devastating cyclones, such as in 1970, 1991 and 2007. Although the number of cyclones’ fatalities reduced from 0.3 million in 1970 to a few thousand or fewer in recent events, loss of lives and impact on livelihoods remains a concern. It depends on the meteorological characteristics of cyclone and the general vulnerability and capacity of the exposed population. In that perspective, a spatially explicit risk assessment is an essential step towards targeted disaster risk reduction. This study aims at analyzing the spatial variation of the different factors contributing to the risk for coastal communities at regional scale, including the distribution of the hazards, exposure, vulnerability and capacity. An exploratory factor analysis method is used to map vulnerability contrasts between local administrative units. Indexing and ranking using geospatial techniques are used to produce maps of exposure, hazard, vulnerability, capacities and risk. Results show that vulnerable populations and exposed areas are distributed along the land sea boundary, islands and major inland rivers. The hazard, assessed from the density of historical cyclone paths, is highest in the southwestern part of the coast. Whereas cyclones shelters are shown to properly serve the most vulnerable populations as priority evacuation centers, the overall pattern of capacity accounting for building quality and road network shows a more complex pattern. Resultant risk maps also provide a reasonable basis from which to take further structural measures to minimize loss of lives in the upcoming cyclones.

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The pathogenic bacterium Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of gastric diseases in Bangladesh as well as throughout the world. This study aimed at analyzing the prevalence of H. pylori infection among dyspeptic patients in Chittagong, the second most populous city of Bangladesh, using 16S rRNA-based H. pylori-specific Polymerase Chain Reaction and Campylobacter-like organism test. We found that 67% of the population under study was positive for H. pylori infection. Gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer disease showed statistically significant association with H. pylori infection; however, no association of H. pylori infection was observed in terms of age and gender. This study would play a crucial role in managing H. pylori-induced gastric diseases by understanding the current trend of H. pylori infection in the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has been dealing with one of the world's largest refugee emergencies along its border with Myanmar (especially in the rough wooded zone of Ukhiya sub-district, Cox's Bazar) due to a massive influx of Rohingya refugees, particularly since 25 August 2017. Resulting high impacts threaten the viability of local plantation as well as natural forests (societal and ecological assets). This research aims to evaluate the impact of the influx on the physical landscape in the Ukhiya sub-district as well as changes of socio-cultural landscape. The study was relied on both geo-spatial and survey data analysis. We argue that Rohingya flooding has a significant impact on changes of physical and socio-cultural landscape of the area in and around Rohingya camps. Results from the normalized difference vegetation index analysis identified that during 2015-2018 the forestry adjacent to the Kutupalong camps (Ukhiya sub-district) declined by 11.23 km 2 . Forestry cover fell from approximately 68.9% of all land to 2.72%; the decline representing about 15.2% of the entire forested area. Furthermore, the highest elevated area of Kutupalong camps (estimated to be 41 m) is likewise affected by anthropogenic activities, for instance, wholesale cutting into the slope, and street and stair construction which is gradually rising the potentiality of landslide and inland flood in several camps. Out of which 27.76% settlements, 0.35% and 9.61% settlements are at risk of landslide and flood, respectively, in the Kutupalong RC and Kutupalong extension campsite. A large proportion of Rohingyas also used wood for fuel; wood used originates from the adjacent forest and is the primary explanation for forestry consumption in Ukhiya sub-district. Its forests and elevation will never return to their original condition if the consumption of forestry assets proceeds unabated. It is argued, that these research findings may inspire locals, national, and global aid agencies to contribute to the introduction of forestry management and environmental protection.

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