Factors Associated with Children's Subjective Wellbeing During COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh.

The study of subjective wellbeing has received increasing interest among social science researchers and policy makers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there appears to be a gap in the knowledge in terms of how the children experienced the pandemic, which may be different from the experience encountered by the adults. This article fills this gap by (a) examining children's self-reported experience of the pandemic in Bangladesh and (b) identifying the socio-demographic, economic and psycho-social factors which were associated with their subjective wellbeing during the pandemic in the country. For this purpose, a child friendly questionnaire was developed, and a survey was conducted among 1370 children aged 10-12 years. The disruption caused by the pandemic was evident in children's reporting of the movement of families from their usual place of living, job losses by their parents, food poverty, digital divide, and fear of the pandemic. In terms of factors affecting children's wellbeing, eight factors (rural-urban differential, food poverty, digital inequality, support from friends and family, ability to manage learning from home, self-perceived safety, and worry about changes in student life) were found to have had statistically significant association with their wellbeing during the pandemic. These findings are discussed in the context of child wellbeing theories and previous empirical studies. Some policies are identified and put forward as recommendations for improving children's wellbeing in Bangladesh.

An Update on Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infection in Captive Wild Animals in Bangladesh.

Gastrointestinal parasites cause health problems and even death in captive animals. These animals are more susceptible to parasitic infestations because of confinement and stress. The aim of the study is to describe parasitic causal agents in captive wild animals at the Bangladesh National Zoo, Chittagong Zoo, and Tilagarh Eco Park, in Sylhet. A total of 54 fecal samples were collected from the Bangladesh Zoo, Chittagong Zoo, and Tilagarh Eco Park from April 2022 to November 2022. Samples were collected from animals of the groups Aves (16), Reptiles (4), Artiodactyla (23), Perissodactyla (8), and Proboscidea (3). All samples were examined using a modified formalin ether sedimentation technique. Fecal examination consoled an overall occurrence of 61.1%. Out of 54 samples, 33 were positive for parasitic infection. The parasites observed were as follows: Ascarididae eggs (57.58%), Capillaria spp. (18.18%), Strongyloides spp. (9.09%), Trichuris spp. (6.06%), and mixed infection (9.09%). The order Reptiles had a 100% infection rate, while Aves had the lowest infection rate (50%). Only nematodes were detected in this study. Without showing evident, clinical signs and symptoms of disease, the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites is high. This indicates a subclinical infection. This study shows that more epidemiological research and sanitation management programs, including regular antihelminthic therapy for controlling parasitic infection, should be adopted in zoos and ecoparks.