About the Journal

BSMMU Journal (Online ISSN 2224-7750) is a multidisciplinary open access peer-reviewed medical journal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. The journal follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing and publication of scholarly work in medical journals (https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/).

BSMMU Journal is indexed in Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The online version of the journal is available in HINARI, Journals for Free, WorldCat, Ingenta Connect, University of Toronto Libraries, University of New York Health Science Library, Wageningen University and Research, Genamics Journal Seek, Safety Lit, University of Saskatchewan, University of New South Wales Sydney Library, Princeton University Library.

Aim and Scope

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal publishes multidisciplinary medical related original articles, brief articles, case reports, review articles, research letters, letter to editors, perspectives, editorials, and guest editorials.

Publication Schedule

BSMMU Journal publishes one volume each year. Each volume consists of four issues which are published every three months. The issues are published quarterly in March, June, September, and December of every calendar year.

Submission of Manuscripts

All manuscripts need to be submitted online through https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/login along with the completed submission checklist and EQUATOR checklist available for different type of studies found at https://www.equator-network.org/. Manuscripts submitted that do not adhere to the prescribed 'Instructions to Authors' will be sent back to the authors for technical corrections before undergoing editorial or peer-review processes.

Open Access Statement

The journal's entire content is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This means that all articles published with open access will be freely accessible to everyone, allowing them to read, download, copy, and distribute the content in accordance with the terms of the license. The full details of the license are available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Peer Review Process

The submitted manuscript will undergo a review process with the explicit understanding that it is exclusively being considered for publication in the BSMMU Journal at the present time. The manuscript must not have been published previously, concurrently submitted to other publications, or already accepted for publication elsewhere, either in part or in its entirety. The journal requires that the authors designate one of them to serve as the main point of contact with the Journal for all communication pertaining to the manuscript. Upon receipt, all manuscripts will receive a formal acknowledgment of submission.

Review criteria

Manuscripts submitted in BSMMU Journal are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Originality and timeliness of the content.
Clarity and adherence to the guidelines for authors in the writing of the manuscript.
Appropriate use of study methods.
Validity of the data presented.
Reasonable and well-supported conclusions drawn from the data.
The significance, relevance, and medically importance of the information provided in the manuscript.

Upon submission, the editors conduct an initial assessment of all received manuscripts to determine their suitability for formal review. Manuscripts lacking originality, significant scientific or technical merit, or a substantial message are promptly rejected before proceeding to the formal peer-review process. Additionally, manuscripts that may not align with the interests of the BSMMU Journal readers are also susceptible to rejection at this preliminary stage.

Manuscripts that pass the initial review are forwarded by the Executive Editor to both internal and external peer reviewers for evaluation. It is important to note that editorial board members who are authors of a submitted manuscript are not involved in the publication decision-making process. Their exclusion ensures impartiality and fairness in the review and selection of manuscripts for publication.

Peer review mode

BSMMU Journal uses open or single-blind (if reviewer wants the identity of the peer reviewer is kept confidential, but the author’s identity is made known to the reviewer) peer review process.

Manuscripts that are found apparently suitable for publication in BSMMU Journal are sent to two or more expert reviewers. During submission, the contributor is requested to provide names of two or three qualified reviewers who have had experience in the subject of the submitted manuscript, but this is not mandatory. The reviewers should not be affiliated with the same institutes as the contributor/s. However, the selection of these reviewers is at the sole discretion of the editor. Every manuscript is also assigned to a member of the editorial team, who based on the comments from the reviewers takes a final decision on the manuscript. The comments and suggestions (acceptance/ rejection/ amendments in manuscript) received from reviewers are conveyed to the corresponding author. If required, the author is requested to provide a point-by-point response to reviewers' comments and submit a revised version of the manuscript. This process is repeated till reviewers and editors are satisfied with the manuscript.

Selection of Reviewers

Reviewer selection is the critical and important part to the publication process. The choice of selection is based on several factors, including a) expertise, b) reputation, c) capability of giving recommendations, d) giving enough time to review and e) our own previous experience of a reviewer's characteristics. For example, the reviewer who is slow, careless, or do not provide definite comment is avoided.

Online review system

In order to facilitate a convenient and efficient peer review process, we conduct our peer reviews electronically using the OJS system. You can access the system through the following link: https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/login

Recognition for reviewers

Reviewers play a fundamental role in the publication process, serving as its cornerstone. The peer review system is essential for ensuring the reliability and credibility of research. At BSMMU Journal, we deeply value the vital role that reviewers undertake in the review process, and wants to encourage good standards of review. As an expression of our gratitude and recognition for their valuable contributions, BSMMU Journal compiles an "Annual list of reviewers" . This comprehensive list publicly acknowledges and appreciates the reviewers' efforts across all BSMMU journals. Through this annual list, we extend our heartfelt thanks to reviewers for their dedication in upholding the quality of research articles.

Online publication

Manuscripts accepted for publication undergo copy editing to address grammar, punctuation, print style, and format. The corresponding author receives page proofs and is required to return the corrected proofs within three days. The finalized version of the manuscript will be available on the journal's website. The entire process, from initial submission to the final decision, as well as sending and receiving proofs, is conducted online.

Submission turnaround time

In-house review: 1-3 weeks
External peer review: 1-2 months
Publication ahead of print: within 1 month after being accepted
Formal publication: within 1 months after being accepted. Original Articles are listed as priority.

Editorial Policies

The editorial office of the BSMMU Journal adheres to a structure similar to that of many other academic journals. Comprising a team of experienced professionals, the editorial office is committed to providing a unified service for both authors and reviewers. Its primary responsibilities encompass the following:

Facilitating the peer review process to ensure a smooth progression of manuscripts through the review phase. This involves furnishing reviewers with comprehensive information to ensure authors receive constructive feedback that enhances the quality of their submissions.
Compiling journal issues and ensuring their timely delivery while maintaining the highest standards of presentation.
Engaging in tasks such as editing, proofreading, and reformatting manuscripts to guarantee a superior quality of content that adheres to the journal's established style.
Assisting with submissions and addressing queries and issues that may arise during the publication process.

The editorial office keeps abreast of online trends and frequently conducts data analysis of citation levels, usage patterns, and author submission behavior. This analysis aids in identifying content that can enhance readership, while also balancing commercial goals with editorial integrity, direction, and policies.

In terms of publishing and ethical standards, the BSMMU Journal adheres to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Additionally, the journal follows the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These guidelines serve as a benchmark to ensure ethical and professional conduct throughout the publication process.

Publication Ethics Policy

As an internationally active open access journal, our paramount objective is to foster best practices within the academic community and uphold integrity in all aspects of our publishing endeavors. We diligently adhere to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), as well as the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Our publishing activities are guided by a set of core ethical principles, which are as follows:

Authorship and Contributorship: All authors and co-authors must meet specific criteria for authorship, ensuring that appropriate credit is attributed to each contributor in their manuscript. Authors are encouraged to explicitly state their individual contributions to the work.
Originality: Authors must guarantee that the submitted manuscript represents their own original work. It should not have been previously published elsewhere, nor should it be under consideration for publication elsewhere. When incorporating the work and ideas of others, proper citation and quotation must be employed.
Data Access and Citation: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data related to their paper for editorial review, and they should be willing to make such data publicly accessible. Data must be cited in the same manner as other scholarly references, and authors are required to include data citations in their reference list.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment should be given to any work contributed by others in the manuscript.
Declaration and Conflicts of Interest: All submissions must include a disclosure of any relationships or affiliations that could potentially be viewed as presenting a conflict of interest.
Reporting Standards: Authors of original research papers must present an accurate account of their work and provide an objective discussion of its significance.
Human and Animal Rights: Research involving experiments on human subjects must include a statement of compliance, demonstrating that ethical standards were followed as per the guidelines of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national). For research involving animal experiments, authors should indicate whether they followed institutional and/or national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals.
Research Ethics: The research we publish must have received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and when applicable, informed consent must have been obtained. Clinical trials must be registered in clinical trial registries, adhering to both local and international standards.
Authors' Ethical Statement: Authors are responsible for all aspects of their work, including data access, data integrity, and the accuracy of data analysis. Any concerns regarding the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work must be appropriately investigated and resolved by the authors.

By adhering to these ethical principles, we strive to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and contribute to the advancement of knowledge within the scholarly community.

Research Ethics Policy

BSMMU journals maintain the prerogative to reject any manuscript that exhibits unethical conduct in either human or animal studies.

Human Research

Regarding research involving human experiments, the manuscript must incorporate a statement confirming the acquisition of ethical approval (or an explanation of why ethical approval was not necessary), which should include details of the ethics committee(s) or institutional review board(s), the corresponding approval number(s) or ID(s), and an assertion that participants provided informed consent prior to their involvement (or an explanation of why consent was not required). Authors should also declare that the study adhered to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (revised in Edinburgh 2000). The Declaration of Helsinki can be accessed at the following link: https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/doh-oct2000.

In line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Declaration of Helsinki, clinical trials should be registered prospectively before participant enrollment. Authors are obligated to include the registration numbers of clinical trials in all papers reporting on such trials.

If illustrations contain identifiable images of individuals, whether living or deceased, utmost caution must be exercised to ensure that appropriate consent for publication has been obtained. Efforts should be made to preserve patient anonymity. Photographs must be suitably cropped to prevent the recognition of human subjects, and at a minimum, the eyes and eyebrows should be masked using coarse pixilation to render the individual unidentifiable.

Animal Research

For experiments involving animals, the authors must specify the nature of the ethical review permissions obtained, relevant licenses (e.g., Animal [Scientific Procedures] Act 1986), and the national or institutional guidelines governing the care and use of animals during the research.

In certain cases, the Editorial Office retains the right to request supplementary information regarding experiments featured in a manuscript.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authors' Responsibilities

Authors of each manuscript are required to provide a confirmation that:

The manuscript has not been previously published or submitted for consideration elsewhere.
They have significantly contributed to the work and have given their approval for the final version of the manuscript.
Their work adheres to the established ethical standards.
They take full responsibility for all aspects of the work, ensuring that any concerns pertaining to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are duly investigated and resolved.
They have obtained all necessary permissions to include any figures or tables in the manuscript and are committed to covering the Article Processing Charges (APC), if applicable.

Authorship criteria

We mandate that authors adhere to the criteria recommended by ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) to determine authorship, which entails the following:

Making significant contributions to the conception or design of the work, or being involved in the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
Participating in the drafting of the manuscript or engaging in critical revisions for substantial intellectual content;
Granting final approval for the version of the work to be published;
Accepting responsibility for all aspects of the work, ensuring that any inquiries related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are thoroughly investigated and resolved.

We insist that all individuals identified as authors satisfy all four of the aforementioned criteria. Moreover, those who have contributed to certain aspects of the work but do not meet all four criteria should be appropriately acknowledged. The corresponding author is required to obtain written permission from all individuals who are to be acknowledged for their contributions.

Author Contributions

This section is specifically required for original articles, review articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis articles. It elucidates the individual contributions made by each author to the manuscript. The assignment of authorship credit should be based on the following criteria:

Significantly contributing to the conception and design of the study, the data acquisition, or the analysis and interpretation of the data;
Significantly contributing to the conception and design of the study, the data acquisition, or the analysis and interpretation of the data;
Involvement in drafting the article or engaging in critical revisions to enrich it with important intellectual content; and
Granting final approval for the version of the manuscript to be published.

Authors must satisfy all three of these conditions to qualify for authorship.

Note: Engaging in activities such as securing funding, data collection, language editing, or providing general supervision for the research group alone does not meet the criteria for authorship.

The ‘Author contributions’ section in manuscript should be presented as follows:

Conception and design: [initials of the author name..........]
Acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data: [initials of the author name......]
Manuscript drafting and revising it critically: [initials of the author name......]
Approval of the final version of the manuscript: [initials of the author name.......]
Guarantor accuracy and integrity of the work: [initials of the author name.........]

[Note: Contribution in “c” and “d” for all authors is obligatory, while the other credits are case based; The ‘Author contributions’ section is not required when there is only one author.]

Modifications to Authorship or Contributorship

In the event of any alterations to the authorship and/or contributorship after the initial submission, explicit approval from all authors must be obtained. This pertains to any additions, deletions, changes in the sequence of authors, or alterations to the attribution of contributions. A detailed explanation of the reasons for the change must be provided to the Editor. In such cases, the Editor reserves the right to verify with any of the authors/contributors whether they have indeed consented to the proposed changes.

Should disagreements arise among authors, AME adheres to the guidance provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as outlined in the following link: https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Flowcharts.

Informed Consent Policy

Informed Consent Policy

Patients possess a fundamental right to privacy, which must not be violated unless they provide informed consent. Therefore, identifying information such as names, initials, or hospital numbers should not be disclosed in written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees, unless such information is indispensable for scientific purposes and the patient (or their parent or guardian) has granted explicit, written informed consent for publication. In obtaining informed consent, it is essential that the identifiable patient is shown the manuscript intended for publication. Authors have an obligation to inform these patients if any potential identifiable material might be accessible through the Internet or in print after publication. Written consent from patients should be appropriately documented and kept on file with the journal, the authors, or both, in accordance with relevant local regulations or laws. Given that applicable laws may vary based on jurisdiction, journals should establish their own policies with guidance from legal experts. Some journals, recognizing that archiving the consent would reveal patient identity, may prefer to have authors maintain the consent documents and provide the journal with a written statement affirming that they have obtained and archived the necessary patient consent.

To safeguard patient privacy, nonessential identifying details should be omitted. In instances where doubt exists about the maintenance of anonymity, informed consent should be obtained. For instance, merely masking the eye region in patient photographs is insufficient to ensure anonymity protection. If identifying characteristics have been de-identified, authors should provide assurance, and editors should duly note, that these modifications do not compromise the scientific meaning of the work.

The requirement for informed consent should be explicitly stated in the journal's instructions for authors. Furthermore, once informed consent has been secured, it should be clearly indicated in the published article.

Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of InterestBSMMU Journal adheres to the uniform requirements on Conflicts of Interest set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

1. ParticipantsConflicts of interest arise when an author (or their affiliated institution), reviewer, editor, or editorial board member has financial or personal associations with other individuals or organizations that may potentially influence their actions in a manner that could introduce bias. It is essential to recognize that the mere existence of such relationships does not necessarily indicate an actual conflict of interest. The potential for conflicts of interest can persist regardless of an individual's belief in whether the relationship impacts their judgment. Financial relationships, such as employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, payment for expert testimony, and patents, are the most easily identifiable conflicts of interest and are likely to undermine the credibility of the journal, the authors, and the scientific value of the research (source: http://www.icmje.org/index.html ).

2. Reporting Conflicts of InterestEach manuscript submitted to the journal should include a section titled "Conflicts of interest," where a statement regarding any conflicts of interest must be provided. The statement should contain the initials of the author(s) along with details of the conflicts of interest. The following examples illustrate the format in which the Conflicts of Interest statement should be presented in the manuscript:

"Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare."
"Conflicts of Interest: KSS and VS were former students/employees of ......University/ Institute/ Hospital. NV is currently employed by ............ The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare."

Data Sharing Policy

In cases where deemed necessary, we strongly encourage authors to engage in data sharing to support the publication of their studies and establish connections between the data and their published articles. The term "Research data" encompasses the outcomes of observations or experiments that validate research findings, encompassing, but not limited to, raw data, processed data, software, algorithms, protocols, models, methods, and other relevant materials.

To adhere to this policy, authors who have made their study data accessible in a data repository may directly link their articles to the respective dataset.

As a specific requirement, authors must include data sharing statement in their manuscript. For example:

Data availability statement: The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are share upon request/ available within the article as supplementary materials/ openly available in [repository name] at [URL/ DOI].

Copyright and Permission

Upon submission to BSMMU Journal, the corresponding author of the article is required to consent to the transfer of copyright and assign all rights to the submitted article (along with any revisions or versions) solely to the journal. This transfer grants the journal the authority to print, publish, distribute in all languages and media internationally. The copyright transfer becomes effective once the submitted article is accepted for publication. If the submitted article contains material already protected by prior copyright, the corresponding author must obtain written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material in the article, which should be submitted to the journal's editorial office.

The author must also ensure that the article does not violate the privacy rights of any individual(s) or entities, contains no defamatory content, and that all factual statements are accurate and based on sound research. Furthermore, the author must affirm that following any procedure or treatment described in the article would not cause harm if done in accordance with the article's instructions and warnings.

In the event of any breach of these warranties, the corresponding author is liable to compensate the journal for any associated costs, expenses, or damages. Additionally, the corresponding author releases the journal's Editor(s)-in-Chief and the Editorial Board and Team from any legal liability pertaining to statements made in the manuscript, including but not limited to intentional or unintentional errors, omissions, copyright issues, or plagiarism. This release may also extend to third parties as deemed appropriate by the journal.

If the article contains material from other copyrighted sources or includes images or videos in which individuals or other identifiable features are recognizable, the author must inform the journal's Editorial Office during the submission process.

Permission: The author is responsible for obtaining clearance, and if necessary, making payments to obtain permission to reproduce copyrighted material for print and online publication in perpetuity. This may involve dealing with licensing agencies such as DACS or ARS. Written evidence of securing such permissions from the right holders must be provided to the editors. Additionally, the author must include acknowledgments as required by relevant institutions. It is essential to note that obtaining copyright permissions may require some time. For a copyrighted prose work, permission is advised for the use of an extract exceeding 400 words, a series of extracts totaling more than 800 words (with any single extract being more than 300 words), or an extract or series of extracts comprising one-quarter or more of the entire work.

BSMMU Journals' content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) for open access articles. This license grants unrestricted reading, downloading, copying, and distribution of the published open access articles, subject to the conditions specified in the applied license.

Quality Control System

Our journals maintain a high standard of quality through a rigorous and efficient peer review and production process.

Peer Review Process

Manuscripts received from the Editorial team will be screened by the Executive Editor and sent to internal and external peer reviewers. The editorial board members who are authors of a submitted manuscript will be excluded from publication decisions.

Please note that the precise peer review process may exhibit slight variations across journals due to differences in the composition of the editorial team.

Reviewer Selection

Reviewers for a manuscript are typically identified by Editorial Board Members, the journal's authors, or through our internal reviewer database. In some cases, external reviewers may be sourced from scholarly databases like PubMed and Web of Science.

Moreover, during the submission process, the author is encouraged to suggest two or three competent reviewers who possess expertise in the subject matter of the manuscript. Nonetheless, providing reviewer suggestions is optional and not obligatory. It is essential that the recommended reviewers do not have affiliations with the same institutes as the author/s. Ultimately, the editor retains full discretion in selecting the reviewers for the manuscript.

To ensure the convenience and efficiency of the peer review process, we conduct and track peer reviews electronically via the OJS system, accessible on the journal website.

Editing and Publishing Process

Once a manuscript is accepted, it undergoes language editing by professional language editors after one, two, or three rounds of reviewing and revision.

The edited article is then passed to copy editors who cross-edit the content and communicate with the authors to address any copyediting queries.
The copyedited manuscript is further forwarded to the typesetting editor, who uses InDesign to create a PDF version.
Following this, eProof editors engage with the authors for proofreading.
The manuscript is initially published as "Online First".
Finally, the manuscript is formally published in a specific issue of the journal and disseminated accordingly.

Plagiarism Screening Policy

BSMMU Journal is committed to upholding academic integrity in its publications. To ensure this, all manuscripts submitted to BSMMU Journal undergo a plagiarism screening process using anti-plagiarism software at two key stages:

Upon receipt of the submission.
When the author(s) submit the finalized manuscript after peer review.

If the editorial office identifies any instances of plagiarism or self-plagiarism in a manuscript, it will be promptly sent to the author for revision. The limit of plagiarized text is less than 15%.

Ensuring the originality and integrity of published works is of utmost importance to BSMMU Journal, and we take decisive measures to maintain the highest standards of academic publishing ethics.

Confidential

Editor, editorial board members, authors and reviewers keep confidential of all details of the editorial and peer review process on submitted manuscripts. Even identities of the reviewer are not disclosed to the corresponding author. In addition, reviewers maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript.

Article Processing Charges

BSMMU Journal is the official journal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). It is an open access journal. BSMMU Journal is supported by article processing charges (APCs). Currently, all APCs are covered by the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), so there are no publication charges for authors for publication in BSMMU Journal.

Publisher

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

Contuct us

BSMMU Journal Office
Room #901, Basic Medical Science Building

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU); Shahbag, Dhaka 1000

Admin: journal.admin@bsmmu.edu.bd

Executive editor: journal.executiveeditor@bsmmu.edu.bd

Contact: +8801711428141; +8801924829685