Effect of nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh

The main goal is to investigate the effect of crop nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh. Two factors experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Factor A was two varieties of tomato namely, V1: BARI 2 and V2: BARI 15. Factor B was different types of fertilizer like F0 (Farmers practices), F1 (vermicompost), F2 (inorganic fertilizer), F3 (combined fertilizer: 3/4 vermicompost+ 1/4 inorganic fertilizers), F4 (control, no fertilizer). Soil characteristics and climatic conditions were recorded. Plant growth, flowering and fruit characters, and yield were found significantly different (p<0.05). The highest plant height, flowering and fruit characters related to higher production were found in BARI 15 (V2) variety influenced by combined application of fertilizer F3 (3/4 vermicompost + 1/4 inorganic fertilizers). The maximum number of flower clusters per plant (9.66), fruit clusters per plant (8.13), individual fruit weight (117.7 g), fruit numbers per plant (51.17) were found in V2F3 and the same parameters were the lowest in V1F4. The results showed the highest production (95.50 t/ha) in V2F3 followed by V2F0 (81.70 t/ha), V2F1 (72.17 t/ha) and V2F2 (68.06 t/ha), and the lowest yield (27.70 t/ha) in V1F4. The highest fruit yield ((95.50 t/ha) found in V2F3 showed 80.84% higher compared to the V1F4 (27.70 t/ha) treatment. Considering the variety, the highest yield (74.05 t/ha) was found in V2 which was 40% higher yield compared to V1. Combined application of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers performed best as the nutrient management and BARI 15 was found as a suitable variety for the CHTs climatic condition. Hence, the similar type fertilizers proportion can be applied for the other vegetables production in the farmers field for the healthy and eco-friendly environment achievement.

Development and Culture in the Context of Chittagong Hill Tracts (Cht), Bangladesh

This paper aims to understand the background of development and draws a link to culture in the context of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) - a post conflict region – to explore how the dispossession and commercialisation of culture in development planning is processing tension between different actors by reviewing secondary literature. The Indigenous people of Bangladesh have a longstanding history of struggle to achieve self-determination due to their institutional reference as ‘tribes’ or ‘ethnic minorities’. Denial of Indigenous peoples’ identity contributes to their discrimination and violation within the existing development concerns. The specific structural regulations and resource mobilization activities resulting from institutions – government, military, and powerful individuals - in areas inhabited by Indigenous people reflect the asymmetrical relations between Indigenous peoples and Bangalee actors. The conflict started in this region with the mobilization of ethnic majority Bangalee through the settlement programs in 1970s as a part of ‘development’ project, which later created tensions in this region due to the exploitation of people, land, and culture. As the government and ongoing military presence greatly shape ‘development’ for local people, the power relations between different actors facilitate the various forms of exploitative development projects. In addition, the ignorance towards integration of culture in development projects results in imposing threats to Indigenous peoples’ lives, livelihoods, and access to resources. This paper focuses on the economic expansions in this region from modernist perspectives drawing the example of tourism development in the CHT, which can marginalize and exploit Indigenous people in the making of ‘development’, Social Science Review, Vol. 37(2), Dec 2020 Page 87-103

Participatory Tree Carbon Measurement in Komolchari Village Common Forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts

Climate change is taking place at a horrifying rate due to the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. REDD+ has been considered as a low-cost approach to reducing atmospheric carbon. A study on measurements of tree carbon through a participatory approach was conducted in Komolchari Village Common Forest (VCF) of Khagrachari under the Chittagong Hill Tracts to examine the contribution of local participants in the measurement of tree carbon. From the study, it was estimated that total tree biomass density measured by the forestry experts and the local participants were 147.40±31.26 tha-1and 135.95±27.54 tha-1, respectively, where total carbon density for trees was 73.70±15.63 tha-1and 67.98±13.77 tha-1, respectively. Furthermore, in the case of saplings, the estimated total biomass density measured by the forestry experts and the local participants were 33.63±3.50 tha-1 and 32.41±3.09 tha-1, respectively, where estimated total carbon density for saplings was 16.82±1.75 tha-1and 16.21±1.55 tha-1, respectively. From all of the findings, it was observed that a participatory approach was successfully conducted in the study area to collect data on the measurement of tree carbon. The study will help bring the profit in the carbon trade by reducing transaction costs in the case of collecting data on tree carbon measurement. The findings of the study can be useful for REDD+ implementation in Bangladesh. The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 42(1): 1-23, 2020

Traditional uses of Ethno-medicinal Plants in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh: A Review

Objective: Traditional medicines are of great importance to villagers and also now a day to modern drugs. Scientists are trying to explore new drug resources along with the modern drugs to support drug treatment strategy to be more effective and merely natural. Nature is the rich source of many essential bioactive compounds with more specificity and less side effects and thus, traditional medicines are got attention to the pharmacists. There are lots of medicinal plants with scientific evidences in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region, but all that information have not yet been compiled as a review. Keeping this in mind, a review attempt has been taken by focusing on traditional medicine used mostly by the indigenous population of Chittagong Hill Tracts region, which is also a rich source of biodiversity of Bangladesh. Methods: Research articles based on various traditional medicines focusing CHTs region were taken in consideration to compile the data sources in this review article. Results and Conclusion: Peoples in CHTs are using various types of medicinal plants obtained from their surroundings and have been using from long since with traditional reputation. In this review, we focused on such medicinal plants along with their scientific evidences, which would attract lots of scientists to work more to unveil a new research avenue in drug development.