The widespread collection of unofficial fees at health facilities is a common form of rent-seeking behaviour in Bangladesh. Typically, unofficial fees come in the form of cash payments for the performance of required services, for direct purchase of drugs and medical-surgical requisites, and for service access. Using observational and interview methods, this study explores linkages between official and unofficial fees at three Bangladesh health facility levels; primary care Thana Health Complexes, secondary or district hospitals, and medical college hospitals. The study estimates payment levels for different income classes and different payor types at these facilities, thereby highlighting potential equity, price and institutional questions associated with unofficial fees. Not only does the practice have clear income and equity effects, there also appear to be direct effects upon patient satisfaction, perception of quality, and the ability to pay for health services. The article concludes with a discussion of 'rent capture' processes at Bangladesh facilities and the effect of unofficial fees in six areas of health sector reform: displaced official policies, reduced merit goods production, upward income redistribution, distorted human resource development, growth of facility inefficiency, and obstruction of market reforms.

The prevalence of STIs/RTIs among SWs in brothels in Bangladesh is high. An intervention strategy addressing both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections and periodic screening of SWs for RTIs/STIs is essential for successful HIV and STIs prevention programs.

No abstract

This paper explores multiple dimensions of inclusive education in Bangladesh's targeted schools. It compares the educational performance of children with disabilities to children without disabilities analysing their participation, retention and school completion rates. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, it tries to explore the existing inclusive education practices at school level for quality and learning. The study uses community resource mapping, open-ended interviews, field observations, a quality assessment framework and literature review as the main research tools. The study found that at the primary level while significant number of children with disabilities enrol, their participation gradually decreases in the upper classes. In the targeted schools, enrolment of children with disabilities was at 35% in grade 1, which reduced to 31.5% in grade 2, further to 25% in grade 3 and to as low as 8.5% in grade 4, demonstrating a consistent decline in participation rates (σ±11.7). Thus it became clear that significant number of children with disabilities were unsuccessful to get promoted to the next grade or got dropped out every year from the schools. The study findings also suggest that despite the drop outs, teachers in the targeted schools found the enthusiasm and responsiveness of children with disabilities highly positive.

Tobacco production and consumption is on the increase in developing countries. It is imperative that effective demarketing of tobacco products be initiated. This will call for effective and credible role models. A major study conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh indicates that doctors are the most credible source of information concerning the dangers of tobacco consumption. Campaigns utilizing elderly male doctors as role models are called for in working to correct to problem of tobacco used in developing countries.