This study investigated the changing land use patterns and their impacts on ecosystem in the Teesta River Basin of northwestern Bangladesh. Although anthropocentric land use patterns, including agricultural land use, settlements, built areas, and waterbody loss, have been increasing in the Nilphamari district, by negatively affecting local ecosystems, they have not been identified by prior research. Limitations of contemporary literature motivated me to work on this crucial ground in the Teesta River Basin in Northwestern Bangladesh. This study applied a mixed research approach to identify the study objectives. Firstly, the land use and land cover (LULC) changes which occurred between 2000 and 2020 were detected using satellite imagery and supervised classification method. In addition to the detection of LULC changes, the study explored the people’s perceptions and experiences about the ecosystem changes resulted from the LULC changes over the last 20 years, conducting stakeholders’ consultations and household surveys utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings indicated that waterbodies in Nilphamari district have significantly decreased from 378 km² in 2000 to 181 km² in 2020. In the same way, the vegetation coverage has reduced 187 km² between the years 2000 and 2020. On the contrary, agricultural lands (croplands) have increased from 595 km² to 905 km² and settlements have increased from 81 km² to 206 km² between the years 2000 and 2020. From the chi-square test, it was found a significant association between ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. It was further identified that waterbody decreases have significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems. The results of this study also indicated that due to the introduction of foreign tree species, local and native species have been significantly decreasing over the time. This study emphasizes the non-anthropocentric and inclusive land use policy implications for protecting life on land and preserving the aquatic ecosystem in Bangladesh.

This paper delves into the analysis of the physical flow patterns of users and its subsequent influence on their purchasing behavior. The research methodology encompassed surveying a substantial sample size of 400 users actively engaged with travel applications. The gathered data underwent meticulous analysis employing a combination of descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling techniques. The findings from this study have unveiled noteworthy insights into user behavior within travel applications. It is evident that the inclination to engage with the system has a substantial and positive impact on users’ purchase intentions. Moreover, the motivation behind users’ system usage has a direct bearing on their purchase intentions, primarily mediated by the enjoyment derived from the overall experience. This research underscores the pivotal role played by travel applications in the contemporary travel industry landscape. As travelers increasingly rely on digital platforms to plan their trips and make informed choices, understanding the intricate dynamics of user engagement, motivation, and subsequent purchasing decisions within these applications is paramount. This deeper comprehension not only sheds light on consumer behavior but also empowers businesses to tailor their offerings and enhance user experiences, thereby solidifying the indispensable position of travel applications in the ever-evolving travel sector.

This paper contributes to the understanding of how flexibility in the number of members in a decision-making committee in a multistage project can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the decisions taken. While most projects typically employ a fixed number of decision makers, the paper demonstrates the advantages of adjusting the committee size according to the project’s varying complexity at different phases of the project. In particular, we show that allowing for flexibility in the size of a committee increases the likelihood of reaching a correct decision under the unanimity rule. We analyze this issue when the decision maker’s competence is independent of the state of nature and when it is not. The results are compared to those under the simple majority rule.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the imperative of physical distancing has underscored the necessity for telemedicine solutions. Traditionally, telemedicine systems have operated synchronously, requiring scheduled appointments. This study introduces an innovative telemedicine system integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable asynchronous communication between physicians and patients, eliminating the need for appointments and providing round-the-clock access from any location. The AI-Telemedicine system was developed utilizing Google Sheets and Google Forms. Patients can receive dietary recommendations from the AI acting as the physician and submit self-reports through the system. Physicians have access to patients’ submitted reports and can adjust AI settings to tailor recommendations accordingly. The AI-Telemedicine system for patients requiring daily dietary recommendations has been successfully developed, meeting all nine system requirements. System privacy and security are ensured through user account access controls within Google Sheets. This AI-Telemedicine system facilitates seamless communication between physicians and patients in situations requiring physical distancing, eliminating the need for appointments. Patients have round-the-clock access to the system, with AI serving as a physician surrogate whenever necessary. This system serves as a potential model for future telemedicine solutions.