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Title: Electric Mobility Integration in Indian Urban Planning: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

Abstract: India’s urban transport system is facing unprecedented challenges due to rapid population growth, vehicular congestion, and escalating pollution levels. Against this backdrop, the transition toward electric mobility (e-mobility) offers a promising pathway for sustainable urban development. This study investigates the extent to which electric mobility is being integrated into urban planning in Indian cities. It explores critical challenges such as inadequate charging infrastructure, limited policy coordination, and citizen hesitancy. Drawing upon both primary data collected through surveys in five urban centres—and secondary sources from government and institutional reports, the research applies statistical methods, including factor analysis and regression modelling, to examine the drivers of electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The findings reveal that infrastructure readiness and public policy awareness are strong predictors of urban EV acceptance. The study concludes by offering practical policy recommendations, such as zoning reforms and enhanced fiscal incentives, aimed at creating EV-supportive urban environments aligned with national climate goals.

By Shantam Babbar, Rajesh Kumar Raju, Monika Kumari
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1
Title: Ethical AI Integration and the Future of Employee Rights at Work

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become increasingly central to both economic progress and modern business practices. While much public discussion has centered on the societal and ethical dimensions of AI—particularly in relation to data privacy and human rights—there has been comparatively less attention on how AI is transforming traditional workplace dynamics, especially in the area of occupational health and safety. Although concerns about human rights and gig economy conditions are well-documented, the potential implications of AI for day-to-day worker safety remain underexplored. This paper seeks to fill that gap by introducing a conceptual framework for an AI Work Health and Safety (WHS) Scorecard. This tool is designed to help identify and manage workplace risks linked to AI deployment. Drawing from a qualitative, practice-oriented research project involving organizations actively implementing AI, the study outlines a set of health and safety risks derived from aligning Australia’s AI Ethics Principles and Principles of Good Work Design with the AI Canvas—a tool traditionally used to evaluate AI’s commercial value. The study’s key innovation lies in a newly developed matrix that maps known and anticipated WHS and ethical risks across each stage of AI adoption, offering a structured approach to evaluating AI’s workplace impact.

By Kanika Maheshwari
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1
Title: The Impact of Pawnbroking on Local Communities with special reference to Bangladesh

Abstract: This study examines pawnbroking's impact on social entrepreneurship and its implications for social development. It posits that Pawnbroking aids vulnerable entrepreneurs, often excluded from formal credit, in accessing quick financial resources, thereby enhancing social entrepreneurship. Through a meta-analysis and literature review, including three case studies from Bangladesh, the findings indicate that, despite exploitative practices, pawnshops are vital for providing the impoverished with financial access and supporting social welfare. However, risks such as asset loss, debt cycles, and exploitation of desperate borrowers are also highlighted. The study emphasizes the need for regulatory oversight and more accessible financial systems that protect borrowers while maintaining accessibility. Overall, pawnbroking offers both advantages and challenges for local communities in Bangladesh, necessitating a balance between quick cash access and consumer protections to promote healthier community dynamics.

By José G. Vargas-Hernández, Amina Khatun, Csongor Czipf, Absalón J. Salmerón-Zapata
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1
Title: Islamic Banking in Bangladesh: A Case Study of FSIBL and Implications for Indian Islamic Banking Prospects and Societal Banking

Abstract: Islamic banking is reshaping Bangladesh’s financial landscape by offering a Sharia-compliant alternative to conventional banking, particularly through innovative community-driven micro-savings and micro-investment models. This qualitative study analyzes First Security Islami Bank Limited (FSIBL), Bangladesh’s first full-fledged Islamic bank (est. 1999), to draw insights for India’s emerging Islamic banking sector. FSIBL’s success in applying profit-loss sharing (PLS) models—such as Mudarabah-based micro-savings pools converted into agricultural investments and Bai-mode financing for SMEs—alongside mobile banking-enabled societal banking initiatives, demonstrates how Islamic finance can bridge financial inclusion gaps in developing economies. The bank’s CSR-linked community investment programs, which transform small deposits into Waqf-funded local projects, offer a replicable template for India. However, recent governance lapses and liquidity crunches highlight systemic risks in scaling these models without robust safeguards. The study addresses two questions: (1) How does FSIBL’s integration of microfinance with Islamic principles validate its viability in emerging markets? (2) What lessons can India adopt to leverage societal banking wings for grassroots capital formation while avoiding governance pitfalls? Findings reveal that participatory micro-investment frameworks require three pillars: strong Sharia governance (e.g., community oversight committees), depositor protection mechanisms (e.g., taka ful-backed micro-savings), and adaptive asset-liability management (e.g., blockchain-tracked PLS ventures). By examining FSIBL’s journey, the paper proposes actionable strategies for India to harness Islamic banking’s dual social-commercial mandate, advocating for regulatory sandboxes to pilot community savings-to-investment chains and tax-neutrality for micro-investment products. The study concludes that India’s vast SHG networks and digital infrastructure position it to outperform Bangladesh’s model—if integrated with ethical resilience and operational transparency.

By Abu Sayed, Nabila Aktia Chowdhury
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1
Title: Gender Dimension and Safety Issue of Female Workforce of the Garment Industries in Bangladesh

Abstract: Bangladesh is one of the most prominent developing country in the world, the RMG sector is one of the prime earning sources of Bangladesh. Now Bangladesh is listed one of the gigantic garment exporters of the world. The garment industry is around Eighty four percent of total exports zone of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh more than four million people are worked in this garments industry. Around eighty percent (that is, 3.2 million workers) of the garment workers are female in Bangladesh. According to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the female garments workers are victim of high prevalence of violence and injustice in the work place. The violence and injustice the female garments workers are faced are adversely affect their physical and mental state. This research paper discusses the complication of gender dimension, fitness, well being and protection matters and hurdle of female garment workers of Bangladesh. Here the author used regression analysis, chi-square test, pearson R test, independent T test in order to explain the factors affect safety issue of female garments workers and the injustice towards them.

By Samira- Binte- Saif
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1
Title: An Analytical Study of Impact of Merger and Acquisition on the Financial Performance of Selected Indian Banks

Abstract: This research paper compares pre-merger financial performance of selected public sector banks with that of post-merger financial performance. The financial performance is measured by nine different variables that are business per employee (BPE), profit per employee (PPE), net interest margin (NIM), return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), CASA ratio, capital adequacy ratio (CAD), gross non-performing asset(GNPA) and earning per share (EPS). The research is purely based on data collected from annual reports of selected banks. This data is analyzed by using paired t-test and the two tailed significance value is taken for hypothesis testing. The study found a negative impact of merger on financial performance of State Bank of India. While the financial performance of Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India and Indian Bank more or less improved post-merger. All the banks except SBI showed a better utilization of human resource as the business per employee is increased significantly. Only Union Bank of India showed improvement in profit per employee variable and return one quity. Net interest margin of four banks namely Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India improved post-merger. It is observed that overall funding cost benefits that are measured by CASA ratio is seen in State bank of India and Indian Bank. The capital adequacy ratio increased in case of Indian Bank, Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India. No major benefit of merger is seen on gross NPA except in case of Canara Bank. Earnings per share of all six banks did not show any significant impact of merger.

By Deepak Verma, Manoj Kumar Agarwal
In Volume: 14,Issue: 1

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