PEER REVIEW IN BANGLADESH:
AN ANALYSIS FROM A JOURNAL PERSPECTIVE
Hasan Sharef Ahmed
Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, 356 Mohakhali C/A, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Objective: To assess the current status and process of editorial peer review of scientific journals published in Bangladesh.
Design: Retrospective review of English-language journals available in 5 major libraries of Dhaka city and a face-to-face interview of 43 authors randomly selected from among research institutions and universities. Of them, 29 were university teachers and 14 were professional researchers who had published papers in journals.
Results: Only 40 English-language journals were available. Of these journals, 10 were published irregularly, 14 had ISSNs, inconsistencies existed in 7, and only 2 were indexed. Thirty-one journals were published by institutions, and 9 were published by professional associations. Of the 43 authors interviewed, 38 believed that peer review helped improve their papers; 11 did not know if peer review was used in Bangladeshi journals. Twenty-five authors were satisfied with the editorial assessment of their papers, 16 were partially satisfied, and 2 were not satisfied. All the authors asked participated in the interview. Problems cited by the authors included poor review, harsh and difficult comments, unnecessary changes, omission of important points, not valuing authors' opinions, non-cooperation, and longer review time. Authors suggestions to improve peer review include: mandatory review by professionals from similar discipline; panel of peer reviewers for each journal; and recognition, motivation, and incentive for reviewers.
Conclusions: Though the necessity of peer review is well understood to most authors, there are still some problems that need to be addressed. The reviewers should be careful and tactful, avoid too much editing and unnecessary changes, and should have respect for authors and their views. But at the same time reviewers need recognition, motivation, and incentive for their work. A panel of peer reviewers for each journal is widely recommended.
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