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Monolingual Policy, Bilingual Interaction: English-Taught Education in Bangladesh

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Monolingual Policy, Bilingual Interaction: English-Taught Education in Bangladesh Linköping Studies in Pedagogic Practices No. 40 Linköping Studies in Education and Social Sciences No. 18 FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES Linköping Studies in Pedagogic Practices No. 40 Linköping Studies in Education and Social Sciences No. 18 Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL) Rizwan-ul Huq Monolingual Policy, Linköping University SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden Bilingual Interaction www.liu.se English-taught Education in Bangladesh Monolingual Policy, Bilingual Interaction Bilingual Policy, Monolingual Rizwan-ul Huq 2020 Linköping Studies in Pedagogic Practices No. 40 Linköping Studies in Education and Social Sciences No. 18 Monolingual Policy, Bilingual Interaction English-taught Education in Bangladesh Rizwan-ul Huq Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning Faculty of Educational Sciences Linköping 2020 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Rizwan-ul Huq Monolingual Policy, Bilingual Interaction: English-taught Education in Bangladesh © Rizwan-ul Huq, 2020 Cover illustration: Lutfa Sharmin Cover design: Martin Pettersson Cover background: Traditional handcrafted Bangladeshi quilt Cover material courtesy: Shamima Akter Printed in Sweden by LiU-Tryck, 2020 ISSN 1653-0101 ISBN 978-91-7929-721-3 Distributed by: Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning Linköping University SE-581 83 Linköping SWEDEN To Abba, Ma, Ananya, Ibaad & Lutfa Acknowledgements This dissertation is the fruit of several years of work. The journey has been both positively challenging and enriching. Many people have accompanied me, and contributed emotional, moral and intellectual support. I want to express deep gratitude to anonymous students, parents, teachers, and staffs of two schools in Bangladesh. They welcomed me into their schools and allowed me to conduct the project. Without their kind permission and active participation, this dissertation would not have achieved any substantial foothold. I humbly thank my thesis supervisors: Jakob Cromdal and Katarina Eriksson Barajas for giving me the opportunity of conducting this project and to grow as a researcher. Thank you Jakob for teaching me innumerable surviving skills and in particular reading critically, challenging own writing, and staying focused with one thing at a time. Thank you Katarina for gleaming inspiration and optimism, staying patient with my repeated refractions, and teaching me the importance of staying prepared ahed. Sincere thanks to both of you for unwaevring support and encourgaement over the years. Many thanks to all, former and present, colleagues for their thoughtful contributions at seminars and small talk. I am specially thankful to Anders Albinsson, Anna Martín Bylund, Eva Bolander, Eva Reimers, Ingrid Karlsson, Josefin Rostedt, Katarina Elfström Pettersson, Lina Söderman Lago, Linda Häll, Linnea Bodén, Linnéa Stenliden, Maria Simonsson, Martin Harling, Polly Björk- Willén, Sara Dalgren, Susanne Severinsson, and Tünde Puskas. Thank you Kirsten Stoewer for always bringing charm, staying a loyal friend, and lending generous support. Thank you Lars Wallner for giving tested counsels, pushing me beyond my comfort zone, and inspiring life beyond books. Thank you Daniel Björklund for sharing our förskarstuga and offering pragmatic views of life. I wish all the best to Elinor Månsson, Feyza Cilingir, Samuel Gyllenberg, and Ulrika Bodén. I thank Anna Ericson, Anneli Carlbring, Rowena Sarinas Bladh and Jafar Asadi for handing out administrative and technical support. Thank you Thomas Dahl for offering opportunity to teach Film and Video as Aesthetic Expression. Thanks to splendid organizers and guests of the SIS group at LiU. I sincerely thank Asta Cekaite, Charlotta Plejert, Karin Osvaldsson Cromdal, Leelo Keevallik, Mathias Broth, Nigel John Musk, and Sally Wiggins Young for mentoring CA to me. Thank you Alia Amir for supervising my Masters thesis at LiU and teaching the basics of CA, Ali Reza Majlesi for inspiring me, Maziar Yazdanpanah and Inaam Hasan Raouf for kind, warm friendship. I also want to thank teachers and colleagues working at Aalborg University (Denmark), Loughborough University (UK), University College of Southeast Norway, and Hacettepe University (Turkey). Thank you Alexa Hepburn, Elizabeth Stokoe, Paul Drew, Paul Bruce McIlvenny, and Susan Danby for mentoring data analysis. Thank you Polly Björk-Willén for conducting my 30% seminar, and Karin Aronsson for 60% seminar. Thank you Olcay Sert for providing critical reading of the manuscript at 90% seminar. Thank you Björn Touqan and Emma Lindberg (Språkservice Sverige AB) for providing language correction. I also want to thank Amanda Bateman, Amelia Church, and Ufuk Balaman for getting me published with the empirical studies. I would like to express thanks to my teachers at Shishu Monojagotik School, Rampal Primary School, St. Paul’s High School, Mongla Port School & College, and Cantonment College, Jessore. I am deeply grateful to Bishnu, Tapos and Deepu sir for teaching me basics of English, Gazi, Motin and Debu sir for honing my skills, Hafiz and Rafiq sir for inspiration, and Asif vai (Mongla) for mentoring the taste of learning. I am also deeply indebted to all the teachers and staffs of Department of English, Khulna University (KU). I sincerely thank Abdur Rahman Shahin, Ahmed Ahsanuzzaman, A R M Mostafizar Rahman, Md. Emdadul Huq, Fariha Ishrat Choudhury, Gazi Abdullah-hel Baqui, G. M. Javed Arif, Sabiha Huq, Mahmuda Nasrin, Md. Samyul Haque, Md. Sarwar Jahan, Md. Shahjahan Kabir, Shayla Sharmin Snigdha, Sk Abdullah al Mamun and Rumana Rahman. A lot of thanks to G. M. Javed Arif for supervising my graduate thesis. Thank you Sarwar vai (’00 Batch, KU) for mentoring debate, Sena, Parag, and Ashikq vai (’02 Batch, KU) for providing academic support, and Atiq (’07 Batch, KU) for staying concerned. I would like to thank my friends who supported me over the years. Thank you Md. Waliullah and Dilruba Nasrin for offering unwaevring moral support, Mahbub Quaderi and Salma Parvin Quaderi for aspiration and eco-friendly foods, Rizvi Hasan and Dina Hasan Anna for bestowing care. Thank you Shariar Ahmed and Tamman Islam for your congenial, homely presnece. Thank you Mamun, Kamal, Moin, Pavel, Rana, Ranjan, Riyad, Rumy, Shahin, Zia, Zilani, and Zoheb vai. I am greatly indebted to Toufiqur Rahman Shuvro, Ian Ahmed, Gafoor and Abdur Rahman. Thank you Maidul Islam Choudhury for being a smooth pal, source geek, and beacon of optimism. Thanks to Momtahina Rista for bestowing care to Ibaad. Many thanks to my dearest Rubayet Hossain for sharing laughs and joy, swimming together (Centralbadet), and pushing me into new territories. Many thanks to Maria for lively posts and all the best wishes for newbie Meher binte Rubayet. Thanks to Md. Shadat Hossain Swapan and Fahima Akhter for laughter. Thank you Prabhat Upadhyaya and Jamshaid Hussain Asif for your constant care. Thank you my RUET gang: Belal, Arif and Rifat. Many thanks to Imran, Rochie, Anwar, Rony, Porag, Limon, Sajib, Dreams, Shafiq and Amir Hamza. I thank S M Musfiqur Rahman Shaown for being a compassionate friend and guiding me to Sweden. Thank you Tutul and Alam. Thank you all of my friends at Department of English, Khulna University (’03 Batch): Alam, Amina, Asad, Chanda, Debu, Fatema, Kakoli, Liton, Lutfa, Majed, Masud, Mehedi, Mithun, Momota, Mostofa, Mou, Nitish, Nurullah, Rina, Robiul, Romana, Sajeeb, Shaikat, Shila, Sumona, Tamal and Tanveer. Many thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Delwar Hossain, Firoze Rehan, Lovely Kamal, Mr. and Mrs. Mahbub Choudhury Sumon, Maruf Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mr. and Mrs. Nazrul Islam, Rehana Parveen, Rifat Jahan, Shahana Akhter and Tuhin Das Tito. I want to thank all my relatives who constantly showed concern. A big thanks to Khaleda Akhter, A K M Nazmul Hossain, Nilufar Jahan, Md. Abdul Qaiyum, Mahbuba Khatun, and Md. Akhtaruzzaman. Thank you Hafizul Haque Shaikat for infusing urge of knowledge and being the best pal. Thank you Khokhon, Pratik, Biplob, Pallob, and Polash vai. Many thanks to Chanda, Likhy and Pia apu. Thank you Soumik, Omi, Sakkhor and Katha. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hasanur Rahman, Shahanur Rahman, Mr. and Mrs. Hafizur Rahman, Mr. and Mrs. Md. Mainur Rahman, Hafiza Akhter, Shamima Akter, Pervin Akter, Firoza Begum, Saiduzzaman Rid and Sharmin Hossain. Thank you Ayan, Din Islam, Labonno, Tazim, Shourjyo, Turjo, and Tuktuki. I also would like to express gratitude to my close ones who would be happy today to see this project finished. I am deeply indebted to Maksuda Khatun for being my best adviser and well-wisher, and A K M Zakir Hossian for unconditional care. I also want to express gratitude to my paternal grandparents Anarul Haque and Durratunnesa, maternal grandparents Soleman Hossain Joaader and Mazeda Khatun, Azizul Haque, Rahima Khatun, Halima Khatun, Hasina Akter, Shafiqul Haider, and father-in-law Mizanur Rahman. Last but not the least, I am deeply grateful to my family. I like to express gratitude to my father: Md. Azimul Haque who taught me the value of knowledge, importance of integrity, and urge of exploring beyond the box. I want to thank my mother: Mahmuda Haque for having faith on me, sowing vision, and staying awake for me. Thanks to my sister Ananya for her care and love. I am immensely greatful to my wife Lutfa Sharmin for being gracefully patient with this ride and staying optimisitic. Many, many thanks to Masrur Ibaad Huq for making life vibrant and giving happiness when I was deeply in need. Alhamdulillah! Rizwan-ul Huq Norrköping Sweden Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Aims 4 Structure of the Thesis 4 2. ENGLISH IN BANGLADESHI SCHOOLS AND SOCIETY 7 Background 7 Historical Roots of English in Bangladesh: British Period (1757–1947) 8 Bengali: Shaping of the National Identity (1947-1971) 10 The Status of English in the Post-independence Period 12 English in the Compulsory Education System 14 Bengali-medium Education 15 Religious Education 16 Education in English 17 English-medium Schools 17 English-version Schools 18 Policy Documents on Education in English 21 The Banglish Debate in Bangladeshi Society 24 Language Alternation and English-taught Education 26 Summary 28 3.
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