Sampling information of the study.

<div> In the past decade, there has been a notable rise in foodborne outbreaks, prominently featuring <i>Escherichia coli</i> as a primary pathogen. This bacterium, known for its prevalence in foodborne illnesses and as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance, was isolated from raw vegetables, soil, and water samples collected from rooftop and surface gardens in urban (Dhaka North City Corporation; DNCC and Dhaka South City Corporation; DSCC) and peri-urban (Gazipur City Corporation; GCC) areas of Bangladesh. In this study, 145 samples including vegetables (n = 88), water (n = 27) and soils (n = 30) from DNCC (n = 85), DSCC (n = 30), and GCC (n = 30) were analyzed to assess the prevalence of <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> using culture, biochemical tests, and PCR targeting the <i>malB</i> gene. <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> was detected in 85 samples, indicating an overall prevalence of 58.62% (95% CI: 50.48–66.31). In urban areas (DNCC and DSCC), the prevalence rates were 44.70% and 80.0%, respectively, with surface gardens showing higher contamination rates (70.83%) than rooftop gardens (46.57%). In the peri-urban GCC, overall prevalence of <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> was 76.7%, with rooftop gardens more contaminated (93.33%) than surface gardens (60.0%). Antibiogram profiling of 54 randomly selected isolates revealed 100% resistance to ampicillin, with varying resistance to ciprofloxacin (25.92%), tetracycline (14.81%), cotrimoxazole (14.81%), imipenem (9.25%), and fosfomycin (1.0%). Notably, all isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, and cefotaxime. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was found in 14.81% of isolates. The <i>blaTEM</i> gene was present in 81.48% of the isolates, while the <i>tetA</i> gene was detected in 3.70%. These findings underscore the urgent global health concern posed by the significant presence of <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> in fresh vegetables, highlighting the need for improved safety measures and monitoring to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance through the food chain. </div>