Orchisman Dutta

Medicinal plant value chains in Bangladesh are increasingly shaped by the interaction of biodiversity use, household healthcare practices, rural income generation, and evolving market governance. However, much of the existing literature examines these dimensions separately, making it difficult to understand how they function together as an integrated system. To address this gap, the study applies a Nature-Health-Wealth-Power (NHWP) framework to explore the structure and dynamics of four key medicinal plant value chains in Natore Sadar, Bangladesh.,A mixed-methods approach was used across eleven villages, combining a structured survey of 177 value chain actors with focus group discussions, small group discussions, and key informant interviews, supported by secondary data. Quantitative analysis focused on cost return structures and value chain efficiency, while qualitative analysis was used to develop an explanatory model of NHWP market interactions.,The findings show a clear trend toward commercialization, with market activities increasingly concentrated around Lakshmipur/Amirganj, which functions as a regional aggregation hub linked to major urban centers. Although farm-level profit margins remain relatively high (46-50%), value capture is uneven and tends to concentrate downstream. Two broad patterns emerge: distribution-led chains dominated by informal retail actors, and transformation-led chains where processing and quality compliance play a central role in value creation. Market power appears to be shaped by differences in information access and adherence to quality standards.,Overall, the study suggests that more inclusive and sustainable outcomes will require coordinated interventions, including producer organization, improved processing and quality infrastructure, better market information systems, and greater attention to gender-inclusive capacity development.

Although Bangladesh is frequently regarded as ‘ground zero’ for climate change, the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) have only recently been acknowledged for their environmental vulnerabilities, especially after the devastating rainfall and landslides of 2017. However, attributing these risks solely to climate change overlooks their entanglement with structural inequalities, extractive development, deforestation, and long-standing marginalization. The study examines how climate variability intersects with broader environmental risks through a mixed-methods approach, integrating 30 years of NASA TRMM_3B42_daily rainfall data with a household survey (n = 400), life stories, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews conducted across all three CHT districts. Findings do not support a singular attribution to climate change. Rather, they reveal compounded vulnerabilities shaped by land degradation, water scarcity, flash flooding, and landslides—often linked to deforestation and neoliberal development interventions. We argue that the CHT exemplifies ecological entanglement, shaped by climate variability and structural inequalities rooted in land governance and Indigenous dispossession. By integrating spatially disaggregated climate data with historically grounded local experiential narratives, this study contributes to climate justice debates through relational, place-based understandings of vulnerability in the Global South.

Although Bangladesh is frequently regarded as 'ground zero' for climate change, the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have only recently been recognized for their environmental vulnerabilities, particularly following the severe rainfall and landslides of 2017. However, attributing these risks solely to climate change oversimplifies the complex interplay of environmentally unsustainable 'development' projects, extensive (il)legal deforestation, and localized socio-political dynamics. Using a mixed-method approach, this study investigates the convergence of climate trends with these broader drivers of environmental risk, drawing on meteorological data and qualitative insights from diverse local communities (n=400). The findings reveal a critical gap in climate-specific data for CHT, complicating the attribution of observed changes solely to climatic factors. Instead, the evidence underscores significant risks stemming from the combined effects of land degradation, water scarcity, flash floods, landslides, and other disturbances tied to deforestation and neoliberal development. This paper advances theoretical discussions by challenging climate-only narratives and emphasizing the need to analyze environmental risks within their localized socio-ecological contexts. It contributes to the growing body of scholarship advocating for context-sensitive frameworks that move beyond generalized attributions of climate change as the root cause of all environmental vulnerabilities, thereby promoting more nuanced, equitable, and regionally attuned policy responses.

Aims: This study aims to identify suitable tree species for biochar production and evaluate their effectiveness in improving soil quality and the growth of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Akshmoni (Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth). The findings will help determine the most effective biochar feedstock for sustainable agroforestry practices in tropical regions. Study Design: The experiment was conducted using a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) with six different tropical tree species as feedstock for biochar production. Biochar was applied as a soil amendment at a rate of 10 t/ha, with a control group for comparison. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the nursery of the

Though Bangladesh is often labelled as "climate change ground zero," the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) were never considered a significant climate change hotspot until heavy rainfall and consequent landslides in 2017. This shift in problem narrative seemingly overlooks myriad environmentally unsustainable 'development' initiatives along with (il)legal deforestation. This paper examines climate change trends and impacts on the lives and livelihoods of diverse local groups in CHT. By analysing changing patterns in meteorological data and qualitative information on changes and challenges in everyday life and the livelihoods of local people, we show a shortfall of captured climate data on CHT to make a strong case for climate change. Yet, this study finds that this region is exposed to a substantial threat of land degradation, flash floods, water scarcity, landslides, and other slow and quick onsets due to a combined effect of deforestation, neoliberalised development, and slight changes in temperature and precipitation patterns. This paper calls for proactive measures to address climate change impacts by endorsing sustainable development strategies prioritizing environmental stewardship, social justice, and economic prosperity.