Susan Vize

The 2026 election in Bangladesh was the first big political test after the July uprising, and it reminded us of something very basic: elections are not decided only inside polling booths.

There is clear evidence that learning in multiple languages, starting with the mother tongue and then gradually adding national and global languages, is good for cognitive abilities and does not impair language skills in second and third languages.

Exclusion of the subject Wellbeing from the curriculum is concerning.

Bangladesh marks 25 years of promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism.