English in Bangladesh – 6 years later!

I had visited Bangladesh once before in 2018. I had fallen for this chaotic and friendly country and was waiting for an excuse to return. The one thing I vividly remember was stepping out of Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport only to find that the knowledge of Bangla had become essential to survival. I managed to clear the immigration, exchanged my currency, got a Bangladeshi SIM card for my phone, and even booked a cab on Uber.

So far so good! But then the problems multiplied. Any conversation with the cab driver was impossible. I could not read the number plate on the cab because the numbers and alphabets were inscribed in Bangla. I couldn't take advantage of the friendly, smiling locals at the airport who wanted to help, but couldn't due to their limited knowledge of English. And all this within the precincts of Bangladesh's proud capital! All sign boards along the way were in Bangla and it was only with great difficulty that I managed to reach my hotel in the Gulshan-2 area, where I had again struggled to communicate with more friendly welcoming Bangladeshis. The doorman, the waiters, and the concierge were all extremely polite and courteous, but you had to know Bangla to understand what they were trying to say!

Six years later it was all very different. Arriving in Sylhet first, I was pleasantly surprised to converse with the hotel reception staff in fluent English. There are several institutes in the city that conduct courses in yoga, meditation, personality development, and organise socio-cultural activities. 'Triple A' in the Mirzajangal area was one such institute where I found that several students spoke English. They told me that today's Bangladesh was focused on improving English language proficiency in the country. Not only was there a steady increase in the number of English-medium schools in Bangladesh, these institutions provided an in-depth English learning environment, helping students develop stronger language skills.

English was a compulsory subject from primary to secondary levels with more English-medium schools and universities providing opportunities for quality English education. The English language curriculum has been updated to align itself with international standards focusing more on communicative competence.

Teacher training programmes had been introduced to improve the English-teaching skills of professors. Coupled with the introduction of modern teaching methods, English classes had become more interactive and effective. English proficiency tests had gained prominence during the last six years with both institutes and employers now insisting on strong English test scores for admission and recruitment, itself motivating students to work harder on improving their English skills. Exposure to international environments by participating in international conferences, workshops, and exchange programs had improved English proficiency. Bangladeshi students got more opportunities to gain experience in English-speaking settings with opportunities to talk to overseas visitors like me!

The whole world knows how language plays an extremely important role in the hearts and minds of Bangladeshis. It was the struggle for Bangla that gave rise to nascent Bangla nationalism from where arose the free nation of Bangladesh! Students had laid down their lives in civic unrest, spiralling violence, amidst death and destruction. Testimony to Bangladesh's struggle for independence is the national monument, the Shaheed Minar, that poignantly stands on the Dhaka University campus paying tribute to all those who made the supreme sacrifice for the language movement, which along with other factors led to the Liberation War, concluding with the end of Pakistan in East Bengal. Bangladesh has long realised that learning English doesn't mean avoiding or disrespecting Bangla.

Globalisation has actually intensified the need for English skills, with multinational companies increasingly seeking bilingual or multilingual employees. English proficiency is critical in today's interconnected world. It is universally acknowledged that English is the lingua franca of the world. English proficiency is the key to ensuring access to education, business, and technology. English proficiency continues to be a vital asset in securing employment opportunities, in several sectors such as technology, business, and tourism. The reservoir of scientific and technical knowledge is full of technical papers in the English language. English proficiency opens doors to higher education opportunities abroad and is a gateway to scholarships and academic collaborations. English as a lingua franca fosters cultural exchange, international partnerships, and diplomatic relations. Consider technological advancements and the role it plays in accessing and utilising digital resources, online learning platforms, and global information networks, in navigating the digital economy and participating in the global gig economy. After all, when the Japanese, the Chinese and the Russians recognise the urgency of learning English, why can't Bangladeshis?

Although improvement in English language proficiency nationwide is noticeable, key challenges remain. There is a significant urban-rural divide in access to quality English education, I noticed that in the border town of Tamabil, hardly anyone spoke English. In this remote town, there is a lack of modern teaching aids, technology, and learning materials to facilitate effective English instruction. Added to this the limited exposure to English outside the classroom hampers all-round language development. After all, English is the currency through which knowledge is traded these days. Today's marvels, the personal computer, Internet, smartphone, Google, Facebook, and 'X' have all been pioneered by the English-speaking world! Good English will directly link Bangladeshis with the world of knowledge enabling youngsters to imbibe and contribute to society.

Overall, efforts by the government, educational institutions, and the students themselves have resulted in gradual improvements in English language standards in Bangladesh since I visited last, six years ago. Maintaining this momentum, and making slow and steady progress is the need of the hour!

Priyan R Naik is a columnist and a freelance journalist living in Bengaluru, India. He appears in Ceylon Today of Colombo, Indian news dailies including the Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times, Hindu, Times of India, Shillong Times and the Navhind Times. He was in Bangladesh recently on a short visit. His 'X' handle is @priyannaik

Views expressed in this article are the author's own

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