BRAC Institute of Languages -BIL

The BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), BRAC University, is pleased to announce the appointment of 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐝. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 as 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫.

Dr. Islam earned his PhD in TESL from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and previously served as Assistant Professor at Independent University, Bangladesh. His research interests include self-regulated learning, EFL/ESL pedagogy, assessment in education, language policy, and teacher education. His scholarly contributions have appeared in internationally recognized journals, including Teaching and Teacher Education, Teaching in Higher Education, and Applied Linguistics Review.

Currently, he serves as President of Teachers Association for Studies in Language, Literature, and Culture (TASLLC) and Vice President of Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA), reflecting his continued commitment to academic leadership and the ELT community.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Islam to BIL and our vibrant academic community. His distinguished academic journey, leadership, and contributions to the field of English language education will undoubtedly enrich our teaching, research, and scholarly environment, and inspire both students and colleagues alike.

We wish him a fulfilling and successful journey ahead at BIL.

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐁𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒: 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐭 #𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐒𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

The BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), BRAC University, invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners to the 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐒) on 𝟔–𝟕 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 at the BRAC University campus.

Centered on decolonial dialogues, transformative pathways, and empowered practices, the conference will explore multilingualism, AI-driven tools, epistemic justice, digital practices, and inclusive futures in Language Studies.

Join global voices in rethinking language, knowledge, and practice in the digital age.

🔗 Submit your abstract and learn more:
bracu.ac.bd/academics/institutes/brac-institute-languages/2nd-international-conference-erls

The BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL) takes great pride in recognizing the exceptional dedication and long-standing contributions of its Senior Department Coordination Officer (DCO), 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐦. In this spirit of appreciation, the BIL community, together with Advisor Lady Syeda Sarwat Abed and Director Professor Shaila Sultana, expressed their sincere gratitude for her invaluable service spanning two decades of committed work.

As a Senior DCO, Ms. Rokeya plays a central role in supporting the institute’s academic and administrative functioning, serving as a key link between students, faculty, and central administration. Having been part of BIL since its founding, she brings extensive institutional experience that continues to strengthen its operational continuity and effectiveness.

Her work is integral to sustaining a well-coordinated academic environment through the management of core processes, institutional communication, and logistical support, including the coordination of key academic activities and events.

The entire BIL team extend their heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Rokeya for her efficiency, resilience, and unwavering dedication, which continue to uphold the institute’s pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning.

On 11 May 2026, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚, Director of BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), delivered the keynote address at the seminar “𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡,” organized by the Department of Economics and Social Sciences (ESS) of BRAC University together with the BRAC University Communication & Language Club (BUCLC). The seminar was attended by faculty and students, reflecting shared curiosity about language, identity, and online expression.

Drawing upon decades of ethnographic research, Professor Sultana’s presentation explored language crossing, gender performativity, multivocality, and double voicing among young adults in Bangladesh. Through examples from casual conversations and social media interactions, she demonstrated how stylised linguistic practices, including slang, exaggerated pronunciation, swear words, and orthographic variations, become tools for negotiating identity, resistance, and belonging. She also highlighted how such linguistic stylisations may create a sense of momentary empowerment while simultaneously reinforcing misogyny, prejudice, exclusion, and even forms of digital mob formation.

Further enriching the dialogue, 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐲𝐞𝐧 𝐙𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐲, Assistant Professor of the ESS Department, joined as a discussant and reflected on the broader social implications of these evolving linguistic practices.

The discussion concluded on a reflective note, following an engaging Q&A session, with Ms. Naima Zaman, Lecturer in the ESS Department, BRAC University, serving as the moderator throughout. The reflection emphasized that while language continues to evolve and transgress boundaries, critical conversations like these remain essential to addressing the inequalities, injustices, and social tensions embedded within linguistic practices and performances.

𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 (𝐁𝐈𝐋) 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝟑 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝑪𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝑬𝑺𝑶𝑳 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞

Under the guidance of 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚, Director of BIL, the 7-week course 𝑪𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝑬𝑺𝑶𝑳 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒚 officially commenced with an orientation on 7 May 2026 at BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), BRAC University. The hybrid delivery mode of the course enables participants to attend both online and in person, reflecting its broader commitment to sustainability and social equity in language education.

𝐌𝐬. 𝐍𝐢𝐩𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐫𝐢𝐧, Senior Lecturer and Academic Coordinator of BIL, warmly welcomed the participants and highlighted the course’s focus on reflective teaching, assessment, and curriculum design. She emphasised the hands-on nature of all sessions, designed to develop skilled, inclusive language teachers.

Providing an overview of the course structure and schedule, 𝐌𝐬. 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐦, Senior Lecturer and Program Coordinator of BA in AELS and MA in TESOL programs at BIL, shared the institute's vision of promoting a socially responsible approach to language education. She emphasised that assessment in the course extends beyond examinations, incorporating continuous and reflective evaluation, while encouraging participants to actively engage in the learning process as reflective and socially aware educators.

𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐮𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 and 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐝. 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐒𝐮𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧, Senior Lecturers at BIL, were among the resource persons who highlighted key course dynamics, focusing on the integration of theory with practical learning. They stressed the role of classroom observation and active participation in developing teaching confidence, as well as the value of reflective practice.

The orientation, smoothly facilitated by 𝐌𝐫. 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐭, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Batch 3 of the ‘Certificate in TESOL for SD and SE’ course, concluded with an interactive discussion where participants shared teaching challenges and explored how this course could support their growth as inclusive, forward-thinking educators, followed by a campus tour.

We extend our best wishes to all participants as they step into this journey toward more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable language education practices.

𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞: 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚, Director of BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), delivered a compelling keynote titled “𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞,” at the Concorde: Literary, Linguistic and Sustainability Studies International Conference 2026, organized by the Department of English at Netrokona University. Her address examined how protest movements in Bangladesh use language and multimodal expression to transcend linguistic, temporal, and spatial boundaries in imagining more just and sustainable futures.

Situating the discussion within Bangladesh’s history of student activism, from the Language Movement of 1952 and the Liberation War of 1971 to recent movements, the keynote framed protest as both political action and semiotic practice. It highlighted how slogans, graffiti, music, memes, and digital discourse, particularly during the July Uprising of 2024, function as tools of resistance and collective imagination.

Using Bakhtin’s concept of the chronotope and a transglossic lens, Professor Sultana showed how protest language is shaped by history while continuously circulating across generations, platforms, and spaces. She emphasized how physical and digital sites such as streets, campuses, walls, and social media become interconnected spaces of resistance and meaning-making.

The keynote concluded by calling for decolonial and sociolinguistically informed approaches to studying protest discourse, arguing that such perspectives are essential for envisioning inclusive, democratic, and sustainable futures.

𝐄𝐍𝐇 & 𝐁𝐈𝐋 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚

On Monday, May 4, 2026, the Department of English and Humanities (ENH) and BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL) of BRAC University held a thought-provoking seminar titled "𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞-𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚." The seminar was a culmination of the research project "A State of Freedom? Single Women in Fiction and Life in Bangladesh," supported by the 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑆𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 (2024-2025). Distinguished academics Professor Firdous Azim, Professor Sabiha Huq, and Professor Shaila Sultana, Director of BIL, contributed to the seminar’s academic dialogue.

The event brought together research participants, authors whose texts were selected for the study, and academics who shared their insights and experiences on the evolving narratives of women’s lives in contemporary Bangladesh.

In the first of the four sessions, Professor Azim opened the discussion by outlining the project's origins and development. Professor Huq then continued the session by analyzing the literary texts employed in the research. Following this, Professor Sultana presented findings from the research participants' lived experiences. Subsequently, Nusrat Tasnim Arna and Joutha Monisha, who served as research assistants for the initiative, reflected on the lessons and experiences they gained through their involvement in the project. The session concluded with Professor Azim introducing the invited guests.

The second segment featured a roundtable discussion with five research participants — Atiqua Roma, Dil Afroz Munia, Nusrat Mannan Lina, Sadia Arman, and Tanya Kamrun Nahar — who shared aspects of their lived experiences. The third session was a discussion among authors and academics, including Akimun Rahman, Nasreen Jahan, Shahnaz Munni, and Seuty Sabur, and was chaired by Professor Huq. The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Joutha Monisha, followed by closing remarks from Professor Sultana.

The event underscored the significant role of the state and society in shaping women's lived experiences and ensuring their security and well-being in Bangladesh.

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐈𝐋: 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 & 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 📣📘

The 20th-anniversary celebration of the BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL) marked a significant milestone, featuring the launch of several landmark publications that reflect its enduring commitment to knowledge creation and transformative impact, in the presence of 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚, Director of BIL; 𝐌𝐬. 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐝, Managing Director of BRAC Enterprises and Chairperson of the BRAC University Board of Trustees; Special Guest 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫, Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University; Chief Guest 𝐌𝐫. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐬, Country Director of the British Council Bangladesh; and 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐝. 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐫, Director, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre (LTIC), BRAC University.

𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐞𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐝, Founder and Advisor of BIL, officially launched the book 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓: 𝑺𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆, opening with a poignant reading of a chapter that brought its narrative to life. The book stands as a legacy of transformation, capturing Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s vision of evolving students into empathetic, socially responsible leaders through the power of lived experience, and acts as a tapestry of voices, weaving together heartfelt narratives from alumni, faculty, and staff to preserve the intangible spirit of the Residential Campus of BRAC University at Savar, from the Social Learning Lab to quiet reflections under the banyan tree.

The event also highlighted BIL’s collaborative efforts in language education. Senior Lecturers 𝐌𝐬. 𝐍𝐢𝐩𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐫𝐢𝐧 (Academic Coordinator) and 𝐌𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐀𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐝 presented the book 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔: 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒃 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒓. This initiative, a partnership with The Daily Star’s English in Schools (EIS) program, features specialized study materials developed by BIL faculty for students in classes VI–X.

Underscoring BIL’s contribution to global academic discourse, Senior Lecturer 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐝. 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐮𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 presented a selection of works, including 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝑨𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔: 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑨𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑷𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔 and 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, edited by Dr. Obaidul Hamid and Professor Shaila Sultana and published by UPL, and 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒂, a scholarly work edited by Professor Shaila Sultana and Pramod K. Sah.

Beyond publications, Senior Lecturer 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐝. 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐒𝐮𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧 highlighted BIL’s outreach initiatives, including STAR, Medhabikash and Development for Professionals, underscoring its commitment to inclusive education and social impact.

Bridging academic work with on-the-ground initiatives, BIL continues to extend its influence from research to real-world transformation.

𝟐𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐁𝐈𝐋’𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! 🌟🎊

On 30 April 2026, the 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 (𝐁𝐈𝐋) at BRAC University grandly celebrated its 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 with great enthusiasm, marking two decades of profound impact in language education, intercultural engagement, and academic innovation. This milestone brought together distinguished guests, alumni, faculty, students, and partners to honor a legacy of excellence and visionary growth.

Founder and Advisor of BIL, 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐞𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐝, graced the opening of the event by reflecting on BIL’s journey from the 2005 English Language Program (ELPRO) to a hub for inclusivity and multilingualism, stating: "Language must never stand in the way of talent, merit, and potential." This core philosophy continues to drive BIL’s mission, empowering learners through a commitment to innovation and equitable opportunity.

This was followed by the Chief Guest, 𝐌𝐫. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐬, Country Director of the British Council Bangladesh. In his address, he praised BIL’s role in fostering cultural connectedness and student-centered learning, while emphasizing the vital importance of languages in bridging people and diverse cultures. Special Guest 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, noted that BRAC University promotes intercultural dialogue and celebrates cultural diversity—an ethos embodied by BRAC Institute of Languages—to deepen global understanding and strengthen its Global South positioning.

The celebration was further enriched by the presence of distinguished guests including 𝐌𝐬. 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐝, Managing Director of BRAC Enterprises and Chairperson of the BRAC University Board of Trustees; 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐲, PhD, Pro Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University; 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐝. 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐫,Director, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre (LTIC), BRAC University; 𝐃𝐫. 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, Registrar, BRAC University; 𝐌𝐫. 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦, Treasurer, BRAC University, and 𝐃𝐫. 𝐄𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦, Executive Director of BRAC IED.

The program was marked by the unveiling of 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, including 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞; 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫, a collaboration with The Daily Star; 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬: 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 and 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, edited by Dr. Obaidul Hamid and Professor Shaila Sultana and published by UPL; and 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚, an edited volume by Professor Shaila Sultana and Pramod K. Sah. These works solidify BIL’s legacy of educational innovation, impactful scholarship, and community empowerment.

In a comprehensive reflection on BIL’s academic progression, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚, Director of BIL, presented the current program portfolio and a strategic 2026–2030 roadmap built on global standards and real-world applicability, featuring the launch of the 𝐁𝐀 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐒) in Summer 2026, and the expansion of the 𝐌𝐀 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋. Furthering BIL’s commitment to social impact, Prof. Sultana also announced the inauguration of 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 (𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐂) and 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐂𝐋𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄), signaling a new era of research-driven, socially responsive education for the Institute. Concluding the event, she delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all guests, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support.

Seamlessly hosted by 𝐌𝐬. 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐧, Senior Lecturer at BIL, and 𝐌𝐫. 𝐍𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧, Chief Business Officer at BRAC Kumon Limited and a BRACU alumnus, the celebration featured a rich and dynamic itinerary, including 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. BRAC’s Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Program delivered an engaging 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 performance that vividly depicted key social issues, including mental health and civic responsibility. The event also featured a staging of “সক্রেটিসের জবানবন্দী” (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬) by Drishyapot, performed in honor of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s favorite philosophical work. The celebration reached a high-spirited finale with a concert by 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐳𝐞, bringing the event to an energetic close.

We thank everyone who has been part of our 20-year journey. Here’s to many more decades of transcending linguistic boundaries and fostering the global dialogues that build bridges across cultures.

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠!