Unplanned urbanization: assessment through calculation of environmental degradation index

Urbanization is an inevitable phenomena for the country like Bangladesh. The push and pull factors help to migrate people from rural area to urban area. As a result haphazard and unplanned urbanization create environmental degradation. Survey data reveals that inadequate solid waste disposal services, lack of adequate public water supply, traffic congestion, water logging, air pollution, noise pollution, hill cutting are the main problems in the city area. Concentration of dust as well as SOx, NOx exceeded the allowable limit at the selected points. Groundwater level of Sylhet city has a considerable lowering over the last few decades. It has lowered from 3380 mm below ground in 1982 to 7880 mm below ground. Sylhet is located in highly seismic risk zone but most of the buildings and other structures in this area are constructed without considering earthquake risk. Environmental degradation index was calculated based on economical condition of the country

Study on traffic noise level of Sylhet by multiple regression analysis associated with health hazards

The study reports the level of traffic-induced noise pollution in Sylhet City. For this purpose noise levels have been measured at thirty-seven major locations of the city from 7 am to 11 pm during the working days. It was observed that at all the locations the level of noise remains far above the acceptable limit for all the time. The noise level on the main road near residential area, hospital area and educational area were above the recommended level [65dBA]. It was found that the predictive equations are in 60-70% correlated with the measured noise level. The study suggests that vulnerable institutions like school and hospital should be located about 60m away from the roadside unless any special arrangement to alleviate sound is used

Ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities

The aim of the study was to review the recent trends in the incidence, risk factors, pattern, diagnosis and management of various congenital anomalies in our population. This cross-sectional, observational study included sixty pregnant women aged 20-35 years. Mode of delivery was decided after considering all these aspects. Total eight [13.3%] fetuses had congenital malformations. The follow-up of these ladies revealed that 26 [43.3%] were lost on follow-up, so the incidence of congenital malformations at birth was found to be 5.8%