Level In Bangladesh Research Articles

<b>Medium of Instruction: The Context of Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary Level in Bangladesh</b>

Medium of instruction (MoI) has turned into a matter of dispute in post-colonial societies for various conditions, such as favoring foreign languages over local or native tongues, enacting monolingual laws in multilingual communities, and creating inconsistencies between education policies and practices. This study aims to give a critical overview of MoI policies and practices from primary to higher secondary levels and their social, economic, and cultural effects in Bangladesh. The study employed a systematic literature review approach as part of secondary research. The study finds Bangla as a medium of instruction (BMI) by de jure and English as a medium of instruction (EMI) by de facto, which results in a remarkable inconsistency between MoI policies and its existing practices in the education sector. The further notable finding suggests that the mismatch between MoI policies and its practices leads to a disparate education structure and, eventually, a stratified society marked by inequalities, social hierarchies, marginalization, and so on. More importantly, the inequalities characterized by MoI practices are twofold: on the one hand, EMI is a source of division and inequalities for the Bangla-medium students, and on the other, BMI acts similarly when it comes to ethnic minority students.

Integration of Technology-Based Language Teaching (TbLT) with English Language Teaching (ELT) at the Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Integration of Technology-Based Language Teaching (TbLT) with English Language Teaching (ELT) at the Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Alleviating Poverty Through One House One Farm Project in Bangladesh

Poverty is a bad inhalation process in the economic breath system, especially at the rural level in Bangladesh. The one house one farm project was initiated to alleviate poverty in Bangladesh as an initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The project focuses on rural households generating income through family farming with e-financial inclusion or online banking opportunities. The study focuses on the fundamental understanding and reasons for the One House One Farm project. The study follows a generic qualitative method with secondary data sources, including the website of The Project, newspaper articles, and journal articles, to indicate what, how, and why questions. With some beneficiaries' statements, an ethnographic study is conducted as another data collection source. The study introduces a thematic mode of analysis that covers the explanation of the pattern of the One House One Farm project and gives a general idea about the background. The study finds that the One House One Farm project was a primary and better initiative for alleviating or eradicating poverty in Bangladesh, which helps to focus on achieving Sustainable Development Goal- 01. Besides the main target of alleviating or eradicating poverty in Bangladesh, this project helped rural households create a basement for generating income and being free from dependency.

Policy evaluation and performance assessment for sustainable urbanization: a study of selected city corporations in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is going through an unprecedented period of urban growth, and its cities are having to deal with rising service, housing, and infrastructural needs. It is critical to comprehend how urban government promotes sustainable development as the nation struggles with the intricacies of urbanization. This study aims to investigate how urban governance impacts sustainable urbanization at the city corporation level in Bangladesh, focusing on Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Agenda, which is “sustainable cities and communities.” The study selected Rajshahi and Gazipur City Corporations as case studies and employed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and descriptive statistics methods to gather data from primary and secondary sources. The findings of the study reveal gaps in urban governance, highlighting inconsistencies between the expectations of stakeholders and the reality on the ground. Stakeholders express high expectations for housing access, infrastructure development, disaster management, transportation, and environmental sustainability, but the current state falls short in several areas. Further, the study proposes several recommendations to enhance urban governance, including fostering participatory approaches, ensuring sufficient budget allocation for infrastructure development, addressing housing challenges, enhancing women’s safety in transportation, and strengthening disaster management systems.

Exploring English Teaching Materials and Methods at the HSC Level: An Empirical Study

This study focused on the teaching-learning materials and methods used by the teachers at the Higher Secondary Level in Bangladesh. This study tried to find out the types of methods and materials used by the teachers, how they used these, and how these catered to the diverse needs of the learners. This research followed a quali-quantitative method using questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. A total of 530 students, 28 teachers, 10 teacher-interviewees, and 5 key informants participated in this study. The findings revealed that the materials and methods employed in teaching English at the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level do not align with the curriculum objectives. Moreover, the teachers follow a medley of methods and materials that neither significantly match the latest teaching-learning approaches nor serve the purpose of making the students proficient in English. It was also found that most teachers have no training in language teaching methods, materials, and pedagogy. So, this study felt the necessity for arranging teacher training, redesigning materials, and creating interactive teaching-learning environments to ensure learners’ more comprehensive grasp of English language proficiency in real contexts.

Female Learners’ Language Anxiety in English Language Classroom at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Female Learners’ Language Anxiety in English Language Classroom at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

School-Home Partnership for Enhancing Standard Bangla Language Acquisition of the Students at Primary Level in Bangladesh

The study focused on enhancing Standard Bangla Language (SBLA) acquisition of the students at the primary level through school-home partnership (SHP). The study was qualitative in nature. The data were collected from ten respondents, and the respondents were selected purposively. An interview schedule was developed as the data collection tool for the study. The data were analyzed by a thematic approach. The study revealed that School-Home partnership has become an important phenomenon in students’ standard Bangla language achievements. The study found it as an important measure and established a relationship between School and Home with respect to students' SBLA. The study figured out several initiatives for enhancing SBLA through SHP. The study recommended that schools and home have to ensure a natural Standard Bangla Language (SBL) practicing environment, from where the students would acquire it. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research, 49 (2),125-134

Exploring the nexus between FDI inflows and economic growth: A sectoral level analysis.

This study investigates the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows and economic growth at sectoral levels in Bangladesh, employing a panel study framework. Utilizing sectoral-level panel data spanning six sectors from 2007-08 to 2018-19, the analysis is conducted using Panel Vector Error Correction Model (Panel VECM). Results from panel unit root tests confirm that all variables are integrated of order one I (1), indicating stationarity. The Pedroni panel co-integration test further supports the presence of co-integration among the variables. Notably, the Panel VECM reveals evidence of a unidirectional causal relationship from Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP) to Real Foreign Direct Investment (RFDI) across all six sectors of Bangladesh. The findings underscore the significance of formulating pragmatic policies and implementing them effectively to attract FDI across sectors, thereby contributing to the overall economic growth of Bangladesh.

Does rural transformation affect rural income inequality? Insights from cross-district panel data analysis in Bangladesh

Rural transformation plays a crucial role in enhancing the income and employment prospects of the rural labor force. We investigate the effects of rural transformation on rural income inequality at the district level in Bangladesh using data from five years of nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure Surveys. The Gini coefficient is used to measure rural income inequality. In contrast, the share of high-value agricultural outputs and the share of rural non-farm employment are used as indicators of rural transformation. We find that rural income inequality is positively associated with the share of high-value agricultural outputs and the share of rural non-farm employment. The non-linear regression result shows an inverted U-shaped relationship between rural transformation and income inequality, which indicates that income inequality initially increases with rural transformation but decreases in the long run. Additionally, we find that rural income inequality is positively correlated with the proportion of household education expenditures, agricultural rental activity, and the share of remittances. This study also reveals that income inequality in rural areas of Bangladesh has a significant negative correlation with the government's social safety net program.

Application of E-Services in the Urban Local Government in Bangladesh: A Study on Rajshahi City Corporation

Public sector information and communication technology (ICT) has a long history of using mainframe operations in the 1970s and microcomputing in the 1990s. It is recognized by the Government of Bangladesh that ICT has a development impact, as it enhances access to information, the quality of public service delivery and strengthens good governance practices. Since the ending of 2019, the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic has revived the importance of e-governance. In the initial stage of this climacteric period when people were socially distanced, restricted in quarantine, and not interacting face-to-face with each other created a whale of a ponderosas of e-governance in Bangladesh. Without any doubt, e-governance is the prime catalyst for urban development. Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is one of the oldest and leading municipalities in e-governance adaptation in Bangladesh. RCC, jointly with the local government division under the ministry of local government, has introduced e-governance through initiating an electronic birth registration information system (EBRIS) in 2001. This is one of the best paradigms for adapting e-governance at the urban local government level in Bangladesh. As a part of e-governance, RCC has launched Smart Auto-Rickshaw Management System (SARMS) to reduce traffic congestion on city roads. The study, based on primary sources of information, seeks to assess the role of SARMS in reducing traffic congestion on city streets as part of e-governance. In order to properly implement e-governance in Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), researchers have come up with two recommendations for e-service providers following two broad sections. A rich ICT infrastructure is a prerequisite for providing e-services to the recipients. This study is based on empirical research. This first section of this paper is equipped with the details of the respondents, overall opinions of the respondents on e-governance are covered by second section, the third section is depictured the status of e-services in RCC. However, the last section is enclosed by the specific opinions of the respondents on EBRIS and SARMS.

CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER IN BANGLADESH: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES (2000-2020).

ABSTRACT
 Cultural dominance is one of the most significant aspects of soft power strategy in global politics. The most influential countries employ cultural soft power to consolidate their positions on international platforms to enhance national interests. This study explores China's cultural soft power strategies in Bangladesh by examining its achievements and challenges. It identifies that China has extended its cultural dynamics to considerable levels in Bangladesh, including arranging cultural programs and festivals, exchange programs, support for higher education, cultural institutes, media, availability of cultural content, and infrastructure development. However, China faces several challenges in achieving its soft power objectives due to cultural barriers, political manipulation, and proper management of facilities. This study recommends that China should develop initiatives to reduce the challenges in the country. This study followed a qualitative research method, based on secondary sources. This study fills a crucial gap in the understanding of China's efficacy in Bangladesh. A comprehensive insight into China's cultural soft power will help policymakers in enhancing bilateral relations as well as contribute to academia such as international relations, diplomacy and other intellectual horizons related to Bangladesh studies.
 
 
 
 Keyword: Cultural Soft Power, goals, China, Bangladesh

Science in Decline: An In-depth Analysis of Factors Responsible for the Diminished Interest in Secondary and Higher Secondary Levels in Bangladesh

Science in Decline: An In-depth Analysis of Factors Responsible for the Diminished Interest in Secondary and Higher Secondary Levels in Bangladesh

Impediments of Speaking English in EFL Classroom: A case study on Undergraduate level in Bangladesh

The ability to effectively communicate in English is widely recognized as a crucial attribute for contemporary communication and social advancement. In the specific context of Bangladesh, despite English instruction being provided to students from the elementary level, the endeavors to enhance oral proficiency in the English language appear to fall short of their intended objectives even after a twelve-year duration of instruction, resulting in unexpected subpar speaking abilities. Insufficient research has been conducted in Bangladesh to address the issue of poor learning policies and the students' lack of cognitive understanding and proficiency in English. This lack of research hinders the development of effective remedies to this pressing issue. This study investigates suitable learning materials for undergraduate learners at Chittagong Independent University in order to enhance their speaking and practicing skills. The data was obtained through the administration of 22 closed-ended and 3 open-ended questionnaires to a sample of 120 learners, selected randomly from five distinct sections. The development and implementation of the surveys were thereafter accompanied by the renowned Likert Scale (1932). The analysis conducted in this study suggests several recommended strategies for effectively engaging all learners. The learning theory of Cognitive Development places greater emphasis on the fundamental psychological concerns compared to other obstacles.

Challenges of Teaching English Listening Skills at the Primary Level in Bangladesh

This research attempts to explore the challenges of teaching English listening skills at primary-level schools in Bangladesh. A mixed method was applied to conduct the research. The quantitative data was collected by a survey questionnaire from 30 primary-level English teachers. The qualitative data was collected by interviewing 5 primary level teachers. From the collected data, it is explored that the teachers confront several challenges in teaching listening skills, i.e., independent of teaching listening skills, teachers are bound to follow merely the vast syllabus of the institution, and they do not have any liberty to bring something beyond the stipulated instructions given by the authority. Few teachers have access to required teaching instruments like a computer, the internet, speakers, recorders, and a projector, and due to not having such instruments, the teachers cannot expose their students to cartoons, rhymes, stories, poems, and fables. A common view among the interviewees was that listening to--- and watching-- such types of audio-visual representations is effective in terms of honing students’ listening and literacy. Also, teachers’ classroom environment is not suitable for the teaching of listening skills. Many teachers are not yet trained to enact the proper pedagogy of listening. However, the time period of the primary level is so pivotal that if learners are not exposed to listening skills at that time, they then remain passive and weak in listening, communication, and literacy. Additionally, this study also provides recommendations for the establishment of and enhancing the teaching of listening skills at the primary level in Bangladesh.

EFL Learners’ Participation in Primary Schools of Coastal Areas in Bangladesh

Despite numerous initiatives by both governmental and non-governmental organizations, primary level students’ skills in English language are still below the expected level in Bangladesh (Hamid & Honan, 2012; Sultana, 2010). Our study examined reasons behind the limited participation of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in primary level classrooms in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. To conduct the research, we followed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design (Creswell, 2014; Creswell & Creswell, 2018; Ivankova & Stick, 2007). We collected data from 37 male and 23 female students in grades four and five through questionnaire surveys and three focus group discussions (FGDs). We also collected data from five teachers through interviews and three class observations. We found that teachers had less motivation to create an interactive learning environment for the students due to heavy teaching loads and administrative assignments. Many of the students had low academic expectations and motivation, lived in poor socio-economic conditions that required them to work, and were impacted by frequent natural disasters that interrupted their regular classes. The results of our research provide insights for educationists and policymakers related to primary education in disaster-prone coastal areas as well as other rural parts of the country.

Integration of Technology-Based Language Teaching (TbLT) with English Language Teaching (ELT) at the Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Integration of Technology-Based Language Teaching (TbLT) with English Language Teaching (ELT) at the Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Code-Switching and Code-Mixing During Speaking among Tertiary Level Learners in Bangladesh

The paper aims to investigate the challenges teachers and learners have in developing learners’ English-speaking skills at the tertiary level in Bangladesh. The analysis of the study has been supervised by pursuing a mixed-method approach. The survey was conducted on thirty tertiary-level learners to obtain quantitative data and four in-person interviews were carried out with the four tertiary-level educators to accumulate qualitative data. The findings of the study revealed that learners with a lack of confidence, practice, anxiety, fear of criticism, motivation, supportive environment, insufficiency of language lab, and negative judgment are some of the significant challenges learners and teachers are forced to contend with in developing their speaking competency. Additionally, the exercise of only reading and writing skills-oriented exams at the secondary and higher secondary levels provides less attention to speaking skills and is also an indispensable challenge in developing learners’ speaking skills. To evolve learners’ speaking skills, instructors should impart appropriate suggestions and a supportive environment for learners to exercise speaking skills to the fullest extent.

Female Learners' Language Anxiety in English Language Classroom at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Female Learners' Language Anxiety in English Language Classroom at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

Inequality in iron and folic acid consumption and dietary diversity in pregnant women following exposure to maternal nutrition interventions in three low- and middle-income countries.

Research is available on improved coverage and practices from several large-scale maternal nutrition programmes, but not much is known on change in inequalities. This study analyses wealth and education inequality using Erreygers and Concentration indices for four indicators: adequate iron and folic acid (IFA) consumption, women's dietary diversity, and counselling on IFA and dietary diversity. A pre-test-post-test, control group design. Maternal nutrition intervention programmes conducted in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia during 2015-2022. Recently delivered women (RDW) and pregnant women (PW). Statistically significant reductions in education inequality were observed for adequate IFA consumption, counselling on IFA and dietary diversity in intervention areas of Bangladesh and for adequate IFA consumption in intervention areas of Burkina Faso.A significant decrease in wealth inequality was observed for adequate IFA consumption in the intervention areas of Bangladesh, whereas a significant increase was observed in the non-intervention areas for counselling on IFA in Ethiopia and for dietary diversity in Burkina Faso. The results can be attributed to the extensive delivery system at community level in Bangladesh and being predominantly facility-based in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. COVID-19 disruptions (in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia) and indicator choice also had a role in the results.The main takeaways for nutrition programmes are as follows: (a) assessing inequality issues through formative studies during designing, (b) monitoring inequality indicators during implementation, (c) diligently addressing inequality through targeted interventions, setting aside resources and motivating frontline workers to reduce disparities and (d) making inequality analysis a routine part of impact evaluations.

Transforming the Landscape of Higher Education in Bangladesh: Teachers’ Perspectives on Implementing Outcome-Based Education (OBE)

The landscape of higher education in Bangladesh has notably transitioned from a traditional teacher-centered model to a student-centered approach that emphasizes achieving specific outcomes. This study examines the significant effort to implement an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) curriculum at the tertiary level in Bangladesh. Using qualitative methods, the research explores the perspectives of four Bangladeshi teachers on the integration of OBE, particularly in light of the curriculum policies established by the Bangladesh Accreditation Council (BAC). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, then categorized, coded, and analyzed for themes. The findings reveal that teachers have both positive and negative views on the adoption of OBE in their classrooms. Positive outcomes include enhanced ability to design and refine instructional materials and establish learning objectives that meet students' needs and goals. Teachers also noted that OBE principles facilitate active engagement in learning and teaching processes, adaptable to various classroom settings. To successfully shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach, the study suggests that teachers need to focus on creating interactive classrooms, selecting relevant materials, setting clear learning objectives, fully understanding OBE concepts, and implementing these through pair and group activities.