Advertisement Policy

The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR) is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal published by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), an autonomous government research institution under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The journal exists to serve the scientific community by providing an independent, transparent, and credible platform for communicating research findings that contribute to the sustainable development and management of fisheries and aquatic resources. As a government-funded publication, BJFR operates as a public service rather than a commercial publishing enterprise. Consequently, the journal prioritizes scientific excellence, editorial independence, and research integrity above commercial interests.

This Advertisement Policy establishes the principles governing promotional content across all BJFR platforms. The policy reflects the journal’s commitment to maintaining an academic environment that is entirely free from commercial influence. It formally declares that BJFR does not accept, publish, display, distribute, or host any internal or external advertisements in any format.

The absence of advertisements is a deliberate editorial and institutional decision. The journal recognizes that advertisements, sponsorships, and promotional content may create actual or perceived conflicts of interest that could undermine confidence in scholarly publishing. By maintaining an advertisement-free publishing environment, BJFR ensures that readers, authors, reviewers, and editors can engage with scientific content without distraction or concerns regarding commercial influence.

This policy also promotes transparency by clearly explaining the journal’s approach to advertising, the reasons for maintaining a zero-advertising model, and the responsibilities of all individuals associated with the journal in preserving this principle.

Scope of the policy

This Advertisement Policy applies to every component of the Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research and governs all forms of communication published, distributed, or managed by the journal. The policy applies to:

the official BJFR website;
the manuscript submission and editorial management system;
published journal articles;
supplementary files;
special issues;
online-first publications;
archived journal content;
downloadable PDF articles;
journal newsletters and circulars;
editorial correspondence where appropriate;
future digital or print publication formats developed by the journal.

The policy also applies to every category of user interacting with the journal, including:

authors;
corresponding authors;
co-authors;
reviewers;
editors;
editorial board members;
guest editors;
readers;
website visitors;
technical support personnel;
institutional collaborators.

The policy governs all forms of promotional communication regardless of whether they are intended for commercial, institutional, educational, or organizational purposes. It applies equally to paid and unpaid promotional materials and covers both direct and indirect advertising. The prohibition extends to content submitted during manuscript preparation, peer review, production, publication, website administration, and post-publication activities. The policy remains applicable irrespective of the medium through which information is delivered. Whether the journal continues in print, electronic, mobile, or future digital formats, the principles established in this policy shall continue to govern all journal activities unless formally revised by the publisher.

Zero-advertising policy

BJFR maintains a strict zero-advertising policy. The journal does not accept advertisements of any kind from internal or external sources. Accordingly, BJFR does not publish:

commercial advertisements;
institutional advertisements;
corporate promotions;
sponsored announcements;
advertorials;
product promotions;
service promotions;
paid notices;
promotional banners;
sponsored multimedia;
affiliate marketing materials;
advertising inserts;
native advertising;
promotional hyperlinks;
marketing campaigns.

This prohibition applies equally to all organizations, irrespective of their legal status, ownership, or relationship with the journal. Specifically, BJFR does not accept advertisements from:

private companies;
public corporations;
government agencies;
non-governmental organizations;
universities;
research institutes;
professional societies;
publishers;
commercial laboratories;
fisheries industries;
aquaculture enterprises;
consultancy firms;
software vendors;
equipment manufacturers.

The journal likewise does not accept promotional materials originating from within the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute itself. This policy ensures that all published content remains exclusively scientific, educational, or administrative in nature. Readers visiting the journal website or accessing published articles will encounter only scholarly information relevant to fisheries research and journal operations. The zero-advertising model reflects BJFR’s commitment to maintaining an impartial publishing environment where editorial decisions are never influenced by financial incentives associated with advertising revenue.

Rationale for maintaining an advertisement-free journal

BJFR recognizes that scholarly publishing must be conducted independently of commercial influence. The credibility of scientific literature depends upon the confidence of researchers, policymakers, students, funding agencies, and the public that editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit. The decision to prohibit all advertisements is founded upon several important principles.

First, an advertisement-free journal protects editorial independence. Editors should never face actual or perceived pressure arising from commercial organizations seeking promotional visibility within scientific publications.

Second, eliminating advertisements strengthens public confidence in the journal. Readers can be assured that published content has not been influenced by financial relationships with advertisers or sponsors.

Third, removing advertisements reduces the possibility of conflicts of interest. Even where editorial decisions remain objective, the presence of commercial advertising may create perceptions of bias. BJFR seeks to eliminate such concerns entirely.

Fourth, an advertisement-free environment improves the reading experience. Scientific articles remain the primary focus without interruption from promotional banners, marketing messages, or unrelated commercial content.

Fifth, the policy aligns with the public-service mission of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. As a government research institution, BFRI exists to advance scientific knowledge for national development rather than to generate commercial advertising revenue.

Finally, maintaining a zero-advertising model supports international standards of ethical scholarly publishing by reinforcing transparency, accountability, and editorial independence. Collectively, these principles help preserve the scientific reputation of BJFR and strengthen confidence in its editorial processes.

Financial model of the journal

The BJFR is financially supported through the BFRI, which is an autonomous government research organization funded primarily through allocations from the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Because the journal operates under a government-funded institutional framework, its routine editorial and publication activities are supported through public resources allocated for research and scientific dissemination. This funding model distinguishes BJFR from many commercial journals that rely on advertising income, sponsorship arrangements, or commercial partnerships to support operational expenses.

The journal’s financial independence from advertising revenue enables it to maintain complete editorial autonomy. Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s scope. The financial sustainability of BJFR does not depend upon:

commercial advertisements;
institutional advertising;
product promotions;
corporate sponsorship visibility;
marketing partnerships;
advertising subscriptions;
affiliate marketing;
paid promotional campaigns.

Instead, the journal’s operational sustainability is supported through government investment in scientific research and knowledge dissemination. This funding model offers several important advantages:

protection from commercial pressure;
greater public accountability;
transparency in journal governance;
independence in editorial decision-making;
increased confidence among authors and readers;
alignment with national research priorities.

Although publication models and funding mechanisms may evolve over time, BJFR remains committed to ensuring that financial considerations never compromise editorial independence or introduce advertising into the journal.

Types of advertisements prohibited

To ensure clarity and consistency, BJFR explicitly prohibits every form of advertising regardless of format, platform, payment status, or promotional objective. Examples of prohibited advertisements include, but are not limited to:

commercial product advertisements;
pharmaceutical promotions;
aquaculture feed advertisements;
fisheries equipment promotions;
laboratory instrument advertisements;
software marketing;
consultancy services;
commercial editing services;
language editing companies;
publishing service advertisements;
academic coaching services;
conference sponsorship promotions;
recruitment advertisements;
employment announcements intended for promotion;
commercial training programmes;
institutional branding campaigns;
paid announcements;
promotional newsletters;
sponsored supplements;
sponsored editorials;
sponsored videos;
banner advertisements;
sidebar advertisements;
homepage promotional graphics;
pop-up advertisements;
floating advertisements;
embedded advertisements;
promotional hyperlinks;
referral links;
affiliate marketing programmes;
discount offers;
coupon-based promotions;
social media advertising integrated into journal pages.

The prohibition also extends to promotional content embedded within scholarly articles. Authors should avoid using manuscripts as vehicles for commercial promotion by unnecessarily emphasizing specific commercial products, proprietary technologies, trademarks, or companies beyond what is scientifically justified. Similarly, acknowledgements, supplementary materials, graphical abstracts, videos, and other publication components should not contain promotional language or advertising content. BJFR reserves the right to request revisions or reject submissions containing material that appears promotional rather than scientific.

Internal advertisement policy

In addition to prohibiting external advertisements, BJFR also maintains a strict policy against internal advertisements. Internal advertisements refer to promotional materials originating from the publisher, affiliated institutions, editorial office, or other units within the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute.

The journal recognizes that editorial independence can be affected not only by external commercial organizations but also by internal institutional promotion. Therefore, BJFR deliberately separates scholarly publishing from institutional marketing activities.

Accordingly, the journal does not publish promotional content relating to:

BFRI institutional campaigns;
departmental promotional activities;
organizational branding initiatives;
institutional marketing materials;
promotional recruitment campaigns;
commercial training programmes organized by affiliated units;
promotional exhibitions;
institutional merchandising;
promotional fundraising activities;
publicity campaigns unrelated to scholarly publishing.

The journal website is not intended to function as an institutional advertising platform. Instead, it serves exclusively as a medium for scholarly communication, manuscript management, publication, and dissemination of fisheries research.

This policy does not prevent the journal from publishing legitimate editorial or administrative information necessary for journal operations. For example, the following may be published where appropriate:

editorial announcements;
changes in journal policies;
publication schedules;
corrections and retractions;
notices relating to manuscript submission;
calls for reviewers;
editorial board updates;
publication ethics statements;
author guidelines;
reviewer guidelines;
website maintenance notices.

Such communications are informational rather than promotional and are published solely to support the efficient operation of the journal. By prohibiting both internal and external advertisements, BJFR reinforces its commitment to neutrality, transparency, and editorial independence. The journal’s publishing platform remains dedicated exclusively to scientific communication and the dissemination of high-quality fisheries research, free from institutional marketing, commercial promotion, or advertising of any kind.

External advertisement policy

The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR) maintains a strict policy prohibiting all forms of external advertising across its website, publication platform, manuscript management system, and associated communication channels. The journal does not provide advertising space or promotional opportunities to any external individual, organization, institution, company, or commercial entity, regardless of whether the proposed advertisement is paid or unpaid.

External advertisements include any promotional content submitted by organizations or individuals that are not part of the journal’s editorial operations and that are intended to promote products, services, events, institutions, or commercial interests. The journal considers such promotional activities incompatible with its mission of disseminating unbiased scientific knowledge. BJFR does not accept advertisements from, including but not limited to:

commercial companies;
fisheries and aquaculture industries;
pharmaceutical manufacturers;
fish feed manufacturers;
biotechnology companies;
laboratory equipment suppliers;
scientific instrument manufacturers;
software developers;
data analysis service providers;
academic editing and proofreading companies;
commercial publishers;
consulting firms;
recruitment agencies;
private universities;
non-governmental organizations promoting services;
financial institutions;
insurance companies;
event management companies;
conference organizers seeking promotional visibility;
training providers;
commercial certification organizations.

The prohibition applies regardless of the format in which the promotional material is submitted. BJFR does not publish banner advertisements, display advertisements, sponsored graphics, promotional videos, pop-up windows, native advertisements, paid announcements, affiliate links, promotional widgets, or other advertising materials.

Similarly, the journal does not permit external organizations to sponsor sections of the journal, sponsor special issues, purchase homepage visibility, or obtain promotional placement through financial contributions.

The editorial office reserves the right to refuse any request that may reasonably be interpreted as advertising or commercial promotion, even if it does not fall within a specifically listed category.

Academic announcements and informational notices

Although BJFR does not accept advertisements, the journal recognizes that certain communications are necessary for the effective administration of scholarly publishing and the dissemination of academic information. These communications are informational in nature and should not be interpreted as advertisements.

Academic announcements differ fundamentally from advertisements because their purpose is to inform rather than promote. They are published solely when they directly support the operation of the journal or contribute to the advancement of scholarly communication. Examples of notices that may be published include:

updates to editorial policies;
revisions of author guidelines;
reviewer guidelines;
publication ethics statements;
corrections and corrigenda;
retractions;
expressions of concern;
editorial notices;
publication schedules;
announcements regarding temporary website maintenance;
changes to submission procedures;
editorial board appointments;
calls for reviewers;
announcements of special issues initiated by the journal;
notices concerning indexing status;
updates regarding digital preservation or archiving.

The journal may also publish official communications issued by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute or other competent government authorities where such information directly affects the operation of the journal or the scientific community served by BJFR. All informational notices are subject to editorial review before publication to ensure that they remain factual, objective, and free from promotional language. The publication of an informational notice should never be interpreted as an endorsement of any organization, institution, programme, product, or service.

Editorial independence from commercial influence

Editorial independence is one of the fundamental principles governing the Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research. The journal is committed to ensuring that all editorial decisions are based exclusively on scientific merit, research quality, originality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

Because BJFR does not accept advertising revenue or commercial sponsorship, editors are able to perform their responsibilities without financial influence from advertisers or commercial organizations. Editorial decisions are made independently of:

commercial interests;
institutional marketing objectives;
product manufacturers;
corporate sponsors;
service providers;
advertisers;
financial contributors;
political considerations;
personal relationships.

Editors are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively using established editorial criteria and the recommendations of qualified peer reviewers. Acceptance or rejection of manuscripts depends solely on academic quality and compliance with journal policies. Similarly, reviewers are selected on the basis of their expertise and are expected to provide impartial evaluations without regard to commercial interests. Editorial board members are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest and to recuse themselves from editorial decisions where impartiality could reasonably be questioned. The absence of advertising strengthens the credibility of the editorial process by removing any perception that publication decisions could be influenced by commercial relationships.

BJFR also expects authors to avoid promotional language in scientific manuscripts. Research findings should be presented objectively without exaggeration or unnecessary emphasis on commercial products or proprietary technologies.

Responsibilities of the editorial office

The editorial office has primary responsibility for implementing and enforcing this Advertisement Policy. Editors and journal staff work collectively to ensure that all journal content complies with the principles established in this document. The responsibilities of the editorial office include:

reviewing submitted content for promotional material;
monitoring the journal website for unauthorized advertisements;
ensuring that published articles remain free from advertising content;
reviewing announcements before publication;
evaluating requests for informational notices;
maintaining documentation relating to policy implementation;
educating authors and reviewers regarding journal policies;
coordinating corrective actions where necessary.

Editorial staff are expected to remain vigilant in identifying both direct and indirect advertising. Promotional content may occasionally be disguised as scientific information, institutional announcements, or educational materials. The editorial office carefully evaluates such submissions to ensure that only legitimate scholarly communications are published. Where promotional material is identified, the editorial office may:

request revision;
remove promotional language;
reject the submission;
suspend publication until concerns are resolved;
notify relevant authors or contributors;
document repeated violations.

Editors are expected to apply this policy consistently and fairly without discrimination among individuals or organizations.

Website and digital platform policy

The BJFR website serves as an academic resource dedicated exclusively to scholarly publishing and scientific communication. The website has not been designed as a commercial platform and therefore remains entirely free from advertising. Visitors accessing the journal website will not encounter:

banner advertisements;
display advertisements;
sponsored homepage content;
sidebar advertisements;
pop-up advertising;
floating advertisements;
autoplay promotional videos;
sponsored search results;
affiliate marketing links;
promotional recommendation engines;
commercial advertising networks.

The website does not participate in advertising programmes operated by third-party providers, including contextual advertising or pay-per-click advertising systems. Similarly, the journal does not allow advertisers to purchase visibility through website placement, sponsored sections, or branded content.

The manuscript submission system and editorial management platform are likewise maintained solely for scholarly publishing purposes. These systems do not display commercial advertising or promotional content to authors, reviewers, editors, or readers.

Website administrators periodically monitor the journal’s digital infrastructure to ensure compliance with this policy and to prevent unauthorized insertion of promotional content.

Third-party relationships

BJFR collaborates with a number of third-party organizations that provide technical and publishing-related services necessary for the operation of a modern scholarly journal. These relationships are based exclusively on operational requirements and should not be interpreted as advertising or commercial endorsement. Examples of legitimate third-party services include:

manuscript management systems;
website hosting services;
DOI registration agencies;
digital preservation services;
plagiarism detection systems;
indexing and abstracting databases;
metadata registration services;
citation management infrastructure.

The use of these services enables the journal to maintain high standards of scholarly publishing while improving accessibility, discoverability, preservation, and long-term availability of published research.

However, third-party service providers are not granted advertising privileges on the BJFR website or within journal publications. Specifically:

technical partners may not display promotional materials;
service providers may not purchase advertising space;
commercial logos are displayed only where technically necessary to identify integrated services;
no commercial endorsements are implied through technical collaborations.

The journal carefully evaluates third-party relationships to ensure that they remain consistent with the principles of editorial independence, transparency, and public accountability.

Use of logos, trademarks, and branding

The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR) is committed to maintaining a professional, impartial, and non-commercial publishing environment. Consistent with its zero-advertising policy, the journal regulates the use of logos, trademarks, institutional identities, and other branding elements to ensure that they are used only where they serve legitimate scholarly, editorial, or administrative purposes. The presence of a logo, trademark, or institutional name within the journal should never be interpreted as an advertisement, endorsement, sponsorship, or commercial partnership.

The official logo and visual identity of BJFR and its publisher, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), may be displayed on the journal website, published articles, policy documents, certificates, editorial correspondence, and other official publications for identification and authentication purposes. These official branding elements represent the ownership and authenticity of the journal and are not promotional in nature.

Similarly, institutional names and logos may appear within published articles when they identify an author’s affiliation, funding organization, collaborating institution, or research facility. Their inclusion is intended solely to provide accurate scholarly information and appropriate attribution. BJFR does not permit the use of logos or trademarks for promotional purposes. The following practices are prohibited:

displaying commercial company logos within journal webpages;
inserting corporate branding into published articles for promotional purposes;
displaying product logos in graphical abstracts or supplementary materials;
using organizational logos as advertisements;
placing sponsor logos on article webpages;
incorporating marketing graphics into editorial content;
using trademarks in a manner that implies endorsement by BJFR or BFRI.

Authors should avoid unnecessary inclusion of commercial logos, product branding, or proprietary marketing graphics within manuscripts. Where scientific accuracy requires reference to a commercial product or instrument, authors should use objective scientific descriptions and avoid promotional presentation.

The editorial office reserves the right to request removal or modification of logos, trademarks, or branding elements that are inconsistent with this Advertisement Policy or that could reasonably be interpreted as promotional material.

Violations of the advertisement policy

BJFR expects all individuals and organizations interacting with the journal to comply fully with this Advertisement Policy. Any attempt to introduce promotional content into the journal’s publications, website, manuscript management system, or official communications may constitute a violation of this policy.

Violations may occur intentionally or unintentionally. Regardless of intent, the editorial office will evaluate each situation carefully and take appropriate action to preserve the integrity of the journal. Examples of policy violations include, but are not limited to:

submission of advertisements for publication;
insertion of promotional banners into journal content;
embedding commercial hyperlinks within manuscripts;
excessive promotion of specific commercial products without scientific justification;
use of manuscripts to advertise services or companies;
submission of sponsored editorials;
inclusion of marketing language in scientific articles;
unauthorized modification of journal webpages to display promotional content;
hidden affiliate links;
promotional QR codes directing readers to commercial websites;
repeated references to commercial brands without academic necessity;
distribution of promotional materials through journal communication channels;
misuse of BJFR’s name or logo for advertising purposes;
unauthorized claims of endorsement by the journal.

Authors, reviewers, editors, and third parties are expected to avoid actions that could create either actual promotional content or the appearance of commercial influence.

The editorial office will assess each potential violation based on its nature, context, severity, and potential impact on the journal’s reputation and editorial independence.

Enforcement procedures

BJFR is committed to the consistent, transparent, and fair implementation of this Advertisement Policy. The editorial office is responsible for monitoring compliance and taking appropriate corrective action whenever violations are identified. The enforcement process generally includes several stages.

Initially, suspected promotional content is identified through editorial screening, peer review, website monitoring, or reports received from authors, reviewers, readers, or other stakeholders.

Where necessary, the editorial office will review the material to determine whether it constitutes advertising or otherwise violates this policy. Additional clarification may be requested from the author or responsible party if the nature of the content is uncertain. Depending on the circumstances, the journal may implement one or more of the following actions:

request revision of the submitted material;
require removal of promotional language;
request deletion of commercial logos or hyperlinks;
reject the manuscript prior to peer review;
suspend editorial processing until concerns are resolved;
remove unauthorized content from the journal website;
issue formal written notifications to responsible individuals;
document repeated violations for future reference.

Where violations occur after publication, the editorial office may determine that post-publication corrections are necessary. Such actions will be undertaken in accordance with the journal’s editorial policies and publication ethics procedures.

If promotional content is introduced through unauthorized technical modification of the journal website, the journal will take immediate technical measures to remove the material, restore system integrity, investigate the incident, and strengthen security controls where appropriate

The journal applies this policy consistently regardless of the identity, institutional affiliation, academic status, or geographic location of the individual or organization involved.

Policy review and amendments

BJFR recognizes that scholarly publishing continues to evolve with developments in technology, publishing standards, cybersecurity, and research communication. Consequently, this Advertisement Policy may be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains current, effective, and consistent with international best practices. Policy reviews may be initiated for several reasons, including:

changes in publishing technologies;
revisions to institutional policies;
updates to ethical publishing standards;
legislative or regulatory developments;
improvements in website infrastructure;
recommendations from the editorial board;
operational experience gained through policy implementation.

Any amendments to this policy will be carefully evaluated to ensure that they continue to support the journal’s commitment to editorial independence, transparency, and research integrity.

Updated versions of the policy will be published on the official BJFR website together with the revised effective date or last updated date. Users are encouraged to consult the policy periodically to remain informed of any revisions.

Notwithstanding future amendments, the journal’s fundamental principle of maintaining a completely advertisement-free publishing environment shall remain unchanged unless otherwise determined by the publisher in accordance with applicable institutional policies and legal requirements.

Jurisdiction and governing law

This Advertisement Policy shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research is published by the BFRI, an autonomous government research institution established under the laws of Bangladesh. Accordingly, the administration, implementation, interpretation, and enforcement of this policy shall be subject to the applicable laws, governmental regulations, institutional rules, and administrative procedures of Bangladesh.

Any dispute, complaint, or legal matter arising from the interpretation or application of this Advertisement Policy shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts and legal authorities of Bangladesh.

Nothing contained in this policy shall be interpreted as limiting any statutory powers or legal responsibilities of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute or other competent public authorities acting under the laws of Bangladesh.

Contact information

Questions regarding this Advertisement Policy, requests for clarification, or reports of suspected violations may be directed to the editorial office of the Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research.

Editorial Office

Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR)

Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)

Mymensingh-2201, Bangladesh

Email:

The editorial office will make reasonable efforts to acknowledge and respond to inquiries in a timely manner. Reports concerning potential violations of this policy will be reviewed confidentially and, where appropriate, investigated in accordance with the journal’s established editorial procedures.