Ethical Standards in Scientific Publishing

Ethical standards are essential for ensuring the high quality of scientific publications, the credibility of scientific findings, and the proper acknowledgment of authors’ contributions. The Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics (BJAE) is dedicated to maintaining ethical standards at all stages of the publication process.

Article Assessment

All manuscripts submitted to BJAE undergo peer review and are expected to meet rigorous standards of academic excellence. If approved by the editor, submissions will be evaluated by peer reviewers, whose identities will remain anonymous to the authors.

Our Research Integrity team may seek external advice on submissions with significant ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal implications. We may consult experts and the academic editor to determine appropriate actions, which may include recruiting reviewers with specific expertise, assessment by additional editors, or declining to consider a submission further. For a detailed overview of our editorial process, please click [here].

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves the use of materials and ideas developed by another person without proper acknowledgment of the original source. For further details, please visit [here]. To prevent plagiarism, each manuscript submitted to the BJAE Office will be checked using iThenticate, a leading plagiarism detection service utilized by major publishers like Elsevier, Springer, Wiley-Blackwell, and Oxford. The decision on whether to reject a manuscript due to plagiarism rests with the handling editor. Similarity reports will also be made available to referees.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

Data fabrication refers to instances where the researcher did not conduct the study but instead fabricated data. Data falsification occurs when a researcher modifies data from an actual experiment. Both practices erode public trust in science, which can diminish funding support. Authors of manuscripts found to have fabricated or falsified results, including image manipulation, may face sanctions, and published articles may be retracted.

Citation Manipulation

Manipulating citations—such as including citations that do not contribute to the manuscript's scientific content or those aimed solely at increasing the author's or journal's citation count—is considered scientific malpractice. Editors and reviewers must not request authors to include references solely to increase citations of their own or an associated work, the journal, or any other related journal.

Author Contribution and Funding Statement

All authors listed on a manuscript submitted to BJAE must have made significant contributions to the work. Conversely, all individuals who contributed to the presented work should be named in the list of authors. Authors must declare any current or recent funding (including article processing charges) and any payments, goods, or services that may influence their work. All funding, regardless of whether it poses a conflict of interest, must be disclosed in the 'Acknowledgments' section.

Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest arise when external factors could reasonably be perceived to affect the neutrality or objectivity of the research or its assessment. All potential conflicts must be declared—regardless of their actual influence—to facilitate informed decisions. Generally, such declarations will not prevent publication or participation in the review process. If uncertain, it is advisable to declare a potential interest or consult the editorial office. Undeclared interests may lead to sanctions, and submissions with undisclosed conflicts that are later revealed may be rejected. Published articles may need re-assessment, a corrigendum may be issued, or, in severe cases, the article may be retracted.

Conflicts may include:

• Financial: Funding, payments, goods, or services received or expected by the authors relating to the work or from an organization with a vested interest in the outcome.
• Affiliations: Employment by, advisory board membership for, or affiliation with an organization that has a stake in the outcome.
• Intellectual Property: Ownership of patents or trademarks.
• Personal: Relationships or close personal connections.
• Ideological: Beliefs or activism, such as political or religious beliefs relevant to the work.
• Academic: Competing interests or critiques of another's work.

Author Responsibilities

Authors must declare all potential conflicts in a 'Conflicts of Interest' section, explaining why each interest may pose a conflict. If there are no conflicts, authors should state, “The author(s) declare(s) that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.” Submitting authors are responsible for ensuring that coauthors declare their interests. Declared conflicts will be considered by the editor and reviewers and included in the published article.

Editors and Reviewers Responsibilities

Editors and reviewers should recuse themselves from a submission when they:

• Have a recent publication or current submission with any author.
• Share or have recently shared an affiliation with any author.
• Collaborate or have recently collaborated with any author.
• Have a close personal connection to any author.
• Have a financial interest in the subject of the work.
• Feel unable to remain objective.
• Have previously discussed the manuscript with the authors.

Sanctions

If the BJAE Office becomes aware of violations of the above ethical policies, the following sanctions may be imposed:

• Rejection of the manuscript and any other manuscripts submitted by the author(s).
• Prohibition from submission for 1–3 years.
• Disqualification from serving as an editor or reviewer.

Corrections and Retractions

When errors are identified in published articles, the BJAE Editorial Office will determine the necessary actions, potentially consulting the editors and the authors’ institutions. Errors attributed to the authors may be corrected with a corrigendum, while publisher errors will be addressed with an erratum. If errors significantly affect the conclusions or if there is evidence of misconduct, the article may be retracted. The author(s) will be notified of the retraction process and will have the opportunity to appeal the decision to the BJAE Office.