Dramatic irony in Alcestis

Alcestis, written by Ancient Greek dramatist Euripides, was submitted in the competition of tragedies as the final part of the tetralogy. The play revolves around the character Alcestis. Alcestis’ husband Admetus, with the help of god Apollo, gets the opportunity to live beyond the time of his death, but for that he will have to find someone who will take his place when Death will come to claim him. Alcestis agrees to die in her husband’s place. However, in the end of the play, we can see that she comes back to life again. So, we can say that her character is ruled by irony. 

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Apollo was standing in front of the palace carrying bow on his shoulder. On seeing him, Death shouted with anger. He asked Apollo what he is doing here. He also asked Apollo if he is here to save Alcestis too. It is an ironic element because at the end of the play, we can see that Alcestis was also saved. Apollo presages Death how Alcestis will be saved. He said that Death will be defeated by a man who is coming to the palace during a stopover on a mission to capture the man-eating horses of Diomedes for Eurystheus. Here Apollo is referring to Heracles who will be entertained as a guest of Admetus and take woman from Death by force. Thus, Alcestis will be ultimately saved.

The chorus said, “Will someone come?”

We can also find the indication in Chorus’ speech that someone will come to save Alcestis. The chorus then requested Zeus and Apollo to find a way so that Alcestis could be saved. They agreed that only the son of Apollo, Asclepius, who had the power to raise the dead, could save her now. But he himself is dead, slain by the thunderbolt of Zeus.

Dramatic irony is also found through the comment of servant. Throughout the play, we can see that servants like Alcestis. They hail her as a mother figure. Because of their fondness towards Alcestis, they see things from Alcestis’ point of view. In telling the chorus the events of the day, the servant speaks entirely with sympathy for Alcestis, recalls what she has said and done and how she is becoming weaker and weaker. The servant does not mention Admetus until the chorus pointedly asks about him. In her reply the servant shows how Admetus is coping with the situation,

“Oh, yes, he weeps…Beseeching her not to desert him.”

At the beginning of the play, we can see that Alcestis agreed to die in her husband’s place. But here the irony is that he is asking his wife not to leave him. The servant says,

“But he asks the impossible.”

The servant and possibly Alcestis can see the unfairness of the situation. Alcestis is dying for Admetus and he is accusing her of deserting him.

The irony of the situation is deepened as Admetus asks, “Have you the heart to abandon me?”. This sentence shows the unfair demands Admetus is making. Alcestis is dying for him but this question makes it seems as though she is choosing to leave him for some other reasons. The servant is the only one who notices the irony of Admetus’ comments.

Heracles comes to the palace of Admetus during a mission to seize the four-horse chariot of Diomedes. Admetus comes out of the palace and greets him. Seeing him in mourning clothes, Heracles asked him about the reason. In response to the question, he said that he had to perform a burial. Heracles inquires about the death person and says that surely the person who has died is not his wife. We know that it is Admetus’ wife, Alcestis, who has died, but in order to be a proper host, he covers up the fact.

Heracles scolded the servant for treating him coldly and for worrying about a grief that did not concern this house. He said that the dead woman was not of this family and the servant’s master and mistress are both well. The servant then informed him of the death of Alcestis and told him that the household was attending to her burial in a tomb on the outskirts of the city. When Heracles came to know the truth, he decided to bring Alcestis back as a gratitude for his host.

Heracles approaches with a veiled young woman whom he says he won in a public contest. Looking at the veiled woman, he said,

“Young woman, whoever you are, you have the same figure and height Alcestis had; you stand like her.”

Admetus was unaware of the fact that Alcestis herself was standing in front of him. When Heracles pulls off the woman’s veil and tells Admetus to look at her, he turns around and sees Alcestis. In his astonishment, he first thinks she is a ghost. Heracles tells him to embrace her. When Admetus does so, he realizes it is indeed Alcestis. Overjoyed and deeply grateful to Heracles, Admetus asks him how he was able to retrieve her. Heracles says he pulled her away from Death at the site of her tomb.

Importance of English in Different Fields: Part Two

It is the sequel of my previous article of the same name ‘Importance of English in Different Fields: Part One’. In this article, I have discussed elaborately the necessity of learning the English language and its impact on human beings in different sectors. English is likely to hold its supremacy for about a hundred years. Until and unless it is replaced by any other language, we will have to acquire this language to meet our daily needs.

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English in media:

Considering the use of English as the native language or second or foreign language, we can assume it as the highest spoken language around the world. For this reason, the English language has a great influence on the media in almost every country. Whether it comes to promote a product or run an awareness campaign, the English language takes the leading position. A news article or journal written in English is read by a large number of people. Taking the number of English newspapers, magazines and articles published both online and offline into account, we can say that almost all information is found in English, which proves the power of English in media.

Because the English language is understood by many people across the world, it has become the language of media. A movie, drama or documentary made in the English language gets access to a broad audience easily. It does not require any English subtitles, thus helping the filmmaker to compete with his movie in an international award ceremony, such as Oscar. If a movie is made in any language but English then it will have to add English subtitles. Otherwise, it will not be acceptable by everyone except the domestic audience. English has become so much dominant in media that even in local radio stations, RJs’ are found using the English language mixing with the standard Bengali language. So, we can say that English is the language of world media. 

English in management consultancy:

After completing graduation, one can pursue his or her career as a management consultant in any reputed company. It is regarded as one of the highest-paid jobs all over the world. But to be fit for this profession, one should have to be fluent in English. Having a deficiency in the knowledge of this certain language will make you unable to consult a foreign client. This job also compels the employee to visit the head office of the company he is working for. In a multilingual office, it is not possible to talk to everyone in their native language. In that case, the employee can use English confidently as a lingua franca.

English in economy:

English language skills can play a very important role in the field of economy. One of the sectors of Bangladesh's economy is remittance. Remittances from emigrant workers working overseas have a major contribution to our economy. According to the World Bank, Bangladesh is now one of the largest recipients of remittance with almost $20 billion as of November 2020. However, laborers sent from Bangladesh often complain that they do not get enough salary that they were supposed to be given. Even they do not get good jobs. According to experts in this related field, the reason behind this is their lack of English skills. Because of their deficiency of the English language, they are often marked as uneducated and unskilled workers. If this problem can be solved, they can contribute more to our economy. 

Our present government is giving more emphasis on tourism. Tourism can become an emerging sector of our economy. This sector requires knowing more English to promote tourist places and attract foreign clients. The more attention of more foreign clients you get, the more your business will flourish. The prosperity of the tourism sector means the development of other related sectors, such as hotel, tourist guide, estate agent, transport etc. English is now the only obstacle in the path of flourishing this industry. 

The main vision of the current government is to make ‘Digital Bangladesh’. Without making every service available online, the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ initiative cannot be implemented. With this change, the business has also changed from traditional to modern turning it online. Online-based business, which is also known as e-commerce, is now very popular in Bangladesh. Taking the advantage of selling products all over the world through online, many brick and mortar shops are now setting their foot in this new business trend. To reach more people, they need to post an image of their product and give a description. To do this business, the person behind the computer needs to have good command over the English language to communicate with clients from home and abroad. Even they need to provide a description of the product and responses to the comments in English. 

In this era of modern technology, freelancing can become an important sector in our economy. It can also create many job opportunities for unemployed educated people. Those who have good English skills and Internet literacy can do well in this field. Staying home, they can work with different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company. Those who do freelancing jobs are called freelancers. Freelancers can earn money online. It can contribute a lot to the economy. By doing this work, one can bring money from abroad. We can mention the names of India and the Philippines as examples. They are now earning billions of dollars in this sector. 

English language in Exam:

To have sufficient knowledge of English is the first criterion for an immigrant to work in English-speaking countries like the US, Europe and Australia. Whether you try for a labor visa or student visa, you should have to obtain a minimum score in examinations, such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc., and we all know that these exams are taken to test the English skills of the candidates. If they pass those tests, they will be able to enter their dream country. These tests are also necessary for a student who wants to study in a foreign school, college or university. It has been shown in various researches that students who do well in academic English language examinations are most likely to perform well academically. 

In our country, in Bengali medium schools, we are taught English as subject. So, we have to give exams on this subject in each class of our academic life. English course is divided into two parts: English 1st (communicate) paper and 2nd (Language and Literature) paper, each containing 100 marks apiece. Those who study in English medium schools, have to sit for Ordinary Level (O-Level) and Advanced Level (A-Level) exams. These exams are held and marked internationally. Students have to give answers in English. 

English skill is also required for getting a government job. When we talk about government jobs, the first thing that comes to our mind is Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS), Bangladesh public service commission. Eligible candidates across the country have to be able to sit for this exam through which very few qualified candidates are selected. The exam question paper consists of different sections. One of the sections is English. The most important criterion of this examination is that candidates will have to get a pass mark in English section. If a candidate does well in English then his possibility of being selected as BCS Cadre increases. The same thing can be said about admission examinations of public universities. Despite having GPA 5 both in Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC), most of the students fail to make their places on the merit list because of their poor performances in the English part. 

In the end, we can say that English is necessary for one’s own benefit. Having skilled in English means having high prestige in society. It also widens one’s opportunity of earning money. For a businessman, English becomes an essential instrument for turning business into international business. English language skills also help people to communicate globally. Skills of this particular language can contribute to one country’s economy. So, our government should give more focus on English education. 

Three important decisions in Alcestis

Alcestis is an important play in the history of ancient Greece. This play is based on mythological event and includes characters like Alcestis, Admetus and Heracles. The play revolves around the incident of Admetus cheating on death once but then Alcestis taking her place. Three important decisions have serious impact in the plot of the play. These three decisions taken by three different characters caused unexpected development in the drama. 

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The first decision took place long before the start of the play. The husband of Alcestis, Admetus, could please god Apollo. That is why, Apollo played a trick with the Fates and as a result, Admetus got the opportunity to cheat death. But there was a condition to this matter. Admetus would be able to escape death only if someone else agrees to take his place. Admetus requested his father but he was not ready to die in the place of his own son. However, Admetus’ wife Alcestis agreed to take his position in death. 

This is the background of the drama. Now, the time of Admetus’ death has come and Alcestis is going to die in his place. Alcestis was still a young woman but she decided to do this sacrifice because she loved her husband and she also did not want her children to become fatherless at a very young age. It has shown that in ancient Greece women were supposed to do any kind of sacrifice for their husbands. There is no doubt that Alcestis is a very loving and carrying wife. 

The second decision that had a lot of impact on the development of the drama was that Admetus decided to keep the news of Alcestis’ death a secret from Heracles. Heracles was the strongest human being in Greek mythology. He was very brave and even not afraid to fight with gods. Admetus decided to keep the death of Alcestis a secret because he thought that Heracles has come to his house as a guest and should not see the mourning. Instead Admetus broke his promise to his wife and started drinking with Heracles. This decision of not informing Heracles about the death of Alcestis is important for two reasons. First of all, it shows that Admetus was a generous host and did not want Heracles to suffer. Second of all, it helped Admetus unknowingly as Heracles took the third important decision of the play. 

Heracles drank a lot of wine with Admetus and became drunk. One servant could not control her frustration and told Heracles with annoyed that it was Alcestis who had died. Heracles became totally ashamed after getting the truth and decided to do something about it. He ambushed death and brought back Alcestis to the world again. This decision of Heracles changed everything. 

The three decisions perhaps show us that life is a series of events interconnected. May be something happened long time ago and we feel that it is gone and have no relationship with our life anymore. However, the dramatist in Alcestis showed us that whatever you do in the past can come back strongly. It can affect you good way or bad way. Also, at crucial moments, we have to decide and act or else, we will lose a lot in life. Heracles took a bold decision and fought with death. Because of this, we have a fairy tale finish to this drama. 

Alcestis is a tragicomedy. It starts with a sad note and ends with a happy incident. The story starts with Alcestis’ preparation for death and ends with her coming back to life again. We feel very happy when we find something that we lost many days ago. Same thing happened to Admetus when he got his wife back to life. 

Necessity as the basis of the play Alcestis

Alcestis is a play based on the time and setting of ancient Greece. Life in Ancient Greece was tough and challenging. Often there were civil wars or fighting with foreign countries. There was hardly security and stability for common people. Believing in Gods and Goddesses of Greek mythology was a common matter. People lived their life because of necessity and had to accept many things because of necessity. Thus, it is natural that necessity acts as the basis of the play Alcestis.

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Death is the most obvious necessity in human life. We all have to die even if we don’t want. The Fates must capture our souls and this is their necessity. The Gods are higher than human so they don’t suffer from death. Death is not a necessity for Gods. God Apollo was a friend of Admetus. So, Apollo tried to find a way that Admetus could overcome death. Apollo found a way and cheated the Fates. 

Alcestis wanted to take the place of Admetus because she did not want her children to lose their father at a very young age. This is another example of necessity. The father of Admetus did not want to die because no one wants to die even one day earlier. 

We can also see social structure in the play. The man is higher and woman is lower. So, the sacrifice of Alcestis is not that great to the chorus. They just describe the situation as a part of necessity. Alcestis has agreed to die in the place of her husband- so she must die. This is natural. This is a form of suffering and perhaps slavery. Gods do not have to suffer from slavery either. 

After death, life must go on. Life does not stop for the death of one person. Alcestis died but life must go on for everyone. So, the Chorus was unshaken, Admetus was entertaining Heracles. If death is a necessity then mourning for the dead is a necessity too. The servants were sad and mourned from their heart. That is why, they got annoyed with Heracles. 

After hearing the story, Heracles felt that he must use his strength and save Alcestis. It was like a necessity too. He tried his best and because of it, Alcestis got saved and came to life again. 

In the prologue of the play, there is information about Apollo's humiliation as a common laborer for a mortal, Admetus. His abasement was the result of a conflict with Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods. Zeus killed Apollo's son, Asclepius, for challenging the authority of necessity. Asclepius had the power to raise the dead. Because of his power, Death was deprived of taking the souls of human beings by Asclepius. The chorus said, "For he raised up the dead." 

The play is about death, the interference of the gods and how mortals come to terms with necessity. 

Alcestis is dying in her husband's place. Thus, Admetus has got the chance to escape death. But at the end, he feels sad as his wife is leaving him alone. He admits that he cannot live without his wife. In the end of the play, they come to know how to appreciate one another and how necessary each other's lives are.

Narration: Assertive Sentence Part One (1)

Narration is considered one of the most difficult parts of English grammar. Most of the second language learners make mistakes when they try to change the speech from direct to indirect. Here, in this post, I am providing you the solutions of some exercises about assertive sentences. I think both students and job seekers will be benefited by it.

1.   Rashed said, “I ate my meal.”

Answer: Rashed said that he had eaten his meal.

2.   He will say, “I shall do the work tomorrow.”

Answer: He will say that he will do the work the next day.

3.   My friend said to me, “I have already finished my work.”

Answer: My friend said to me that he had already finished his work.

4.   He said to me, “You study sincerely and may stand first in the examination.”

Answer: He advised me to study sincerely and I might stand first in the examination.

5.   He said to you, “I live here in Chittagong.”

Answer: He said to you that he lived there in Chittagong.

6.   Sagar said to Anwar, “I have passed the examination.”

Answer: Sagar said to Anwar that he had passed the examination.

7.   He said, “I have been working since sunrise.”

Answer: He said that he had been working since sunrise.

8.   Dolly said to me, “I want to go to school now.”

Answer: Dolly said to me that she wanted to go to school then.

9.   Moin said to him, “I shall go to Chittagong tomorrow.”

Answer: Moin said to him that he would go to Chittagong the next day.

10.                The teacher said, “The moon shines at night.”

Answer: The teacher said that the moon shines at night.

11.                Ali says, “I did not play yesterday.”

Answer: Ali says that he did not play the previous day.

12.                Salim said to me, “I was ill.”

Answer: Salim said to me that he had been ill.

13.                My father said to me, “We are going there tomorrow.”

Answer: My father told me that they were going there the next day.

14.                Amina said, “Father, I shall go to bed now.”

Answer: Amina said to her father that she would go to bed then.

15.                Zaman said, “Man must submit to destiny.”

Answer: Zaman said that man had to submit to destiny.

16.                He said to Ratul, “You were merely a boy when I saw you last.”

Answer: He said to Ratul that he (R) had been merely a boy when he (speaker) had seen him last.

17.                The teacher said, “Time and tide wait for none.”

Answer: The teacher said that time and tide wait for none.

18.                The teacher said to the students, “The more you read, the more you learn.”

Answer: The teacher said to the students that the more they read, the more they learnt.

19.                You said to me, “You do not do your duty.”

Answer: You said to me that I did not do my duty.

20.                The old man said to the girl, “I know you and your father.”

Answer: The old man said to the girl that he knew her and her father.

21.                Fahim said to me, “I am drawing a picture for you.”

Answer: Fahim said to me that he was drawing a picture for me.

22.                Sadique said, “I saw Mohammed near our school.”

Answer: Sadique said that he had seen Mohammed near their school.

23.                Farid said to me, “You are not sincere and therefore I do not trust you.”

Answer: Farid said to me that I was not sincere and therefore he did not trust me.

24.                I said to him, “I am sick and I cannot attend the meeting.”

Answer: I said to him that I was sick and could not attend the meeting.

25.                The teacher said, “All men are equal in the eye of law.”

Answer: The teacher said that all men are equal in the eye of law.

26.                Karim says, “I did not go because I was ill.”

Answer: Karim says that he did not go because he was ill.

27.                He said, “The train reached at nine.”

Answer: He said that the train had reached at nine.

28.                The teacher said to Camelia, “You must listen to what your parents say.”

Answer: The teacher said to Camelia that she must listen to what her parents say.

29.                The girl said, “Sir, I know the answer of this question.”

Answer: The girl addressing as sir said that she knew the answer of that question. 

Happy Victory Day

On December 16, 2019, Bangladesh has become 48 years old. On this day in 1971, Bangladesh, under the guidance of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, achieved its victory from Pakistan after a nine-month-long bloody liberation war. Since its emerge as an independent country, this day has been observing as the Victory Day, a national holiday. 

The Victory Day, which is known as the most precious day of the Bangladeshi people, starts with a 31-gun salute. Then people across the country pay respect to the martyrs of the liberation war by placing wreaths at the monuments and Shaheed Minars with the sun rise. On this day, national flag is raised atop all organizations, including government, semi-government and private offices as well as offices of autonomous bodies across the country. 

In remembrance of the greatest children of the nation, a number of cultural programs are organized by different socio-political, educational and cultural institutions. Dramas and programs about freedom war are broadcast on several TV channels. 

To become today’s Bangladesh from the then East Pakistan, it required the lives of three million martyrs and the honor of almost half a million women. We should keep one thing in mind that independence is hard to defend than achieving it. Our ancestors have given us an independent nation. Now, it is our duty to keep this country free from enemies and bring economic solvency. The more we will become economically solvent, the more we will progress towards a developed nation. 

Jean Kay: A French guy who hijacked an airplane supporting the liberation war of Bangladesh

His full name is Jean-Eugène-Paul Kay, a French citizen and an ally of the liberation war of Bangladesh. On December 3, 1971, he came to the attention of world media when he was trying to hijack an airplane of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from France for helping oppressed people of this country. He took such a big risk for a country people he did not have any kind of relation. Can we forget this true friend who stayed beside us in our distress? Of course, the answer is ‘No’. We have infinite love and respect for him.

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On December 3, 1971, Jean Kay carrying bomb in his bag and revolver in his hand got into the cockpit of a Boeing 720 airplane of PIA standing at Orly airport in Paris, France and demanded 20 tons of medical supplies and relief goods for the refugees of Bangladesh liberation war. This 28-year-old brave French youth kept the plane standing on the runway supporting the freedom war of Bangladesh. His only demand was that some medical supplies would have to be sent by this plane in aid of the people who are fighting for independence in East Pakistan, especially for the refugees who had taken shelter in India. This outstanding incident was broadcast live on television and amazed the whole world being published in the newspapers the next day. 

At 11.50 hours in the morning, he went into the cockpit of PIA’s Boeing and held a 9mm pistol demanding that medical supplies would have to be sent for the help of the refugees. He had a box in his hand; he said it was a bomb. If help was not sent, he would destroy the plane by exploding the bomb. Passengers, majority of which were Pakistani, were trembling with fear. In the meantime, everything was showing “Live” on TV. During that time, the then chancellor of West Germany, Willy Brandt, went to France on a tour. The purpose of this tour was to hold a senior level meeting with French President Pompidou on various bilateral issues. But the tour failed due to this incident. 

The French authorities had discussion with Jean Kay. He said that he had no personal gain here. He only wanted the French government to help by providing medical supplies to Bangladesh where liberation war was going on. And goods were sent to Bangladesh by this plane of PIA. 

French government did not accept Jean Kay’s demand easily. French army overran the Orly airport with commando team. But at one stage at 5:15 pm, the government accepted his demand. With the help of French Red Cross and an aid agency, one tonne of medicines was collected quickly and was brought to the Orly airport. In the end, one tonne of medicines was loaded in that plane of PIA and promised to send the rest of the medicines without any delay. At the time of loading medicines on the plane, four policemen in disguise of mechanic and driver boarded into the plane and attacked Jean Key in the cockpit and arrested him. Through a charitable organization named Ordre de Malte, those medical supplies were delivered to Bangladesh. Jean Key did not have any bomb. 

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The box he had on his hand had some electric wires, books, one copy of the Bible and an electric shaver. Still, he was put on trial in court for the crime of plane hijacking and he was sentenced five years in imprisonment. But he was released in 1973. 

Jean Kay was born on January 5, 1943 and breathed his last on December 12, 2012. Like Jean Kay, many people stood by the side of those freedom loving Bangladeshis in 1971. With his love and affection for the Bangladeshi people, he has become a part of the history. 

Sources: 

The Daily Star 

Prothom Alo 
Somoy News 

Bangladesh women’s cricket team makes a record in T20 format

Bangladesh women’s cricket team put their name in the record book after bowling out their opponent team Maldives at the lowest score and sealing the victory by a big margin in their third game of the ongoing South Asian Games (SA Games) on Thursday (December 5) at Pokhara, Nepal. 

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Bangladesh women won the toss and decided to bat first and put on a huge total of 255 for the loss of just 2 wickets in 20 overs. Bangladesh did not have a good start as they lost their opening pair when their score was just 19, with Shamima Sultana and Sanjida Islam departing on 5 and 7 runs respectively. Shamma Ali bowled out Sanjida while Shamima got run out.

Then Nigar Sultana and Fargana Hoque made an unbeaten 236-run partnership with both scoring their maiden T20I hundreds. Nigar Sultana scored 113 off 65 deliveries with 14 fours and three sixes, while Fargana Hoque struck 20 boundaries in her 53-ball 110.

However, coming to chase such a huge target, Maldives were bowled out for just 6 runs in 12.1 overs. For them, Kinaanath Ismail, Sajaa Fathimath and Shamma Ali scored 1, 1 and 2 runs respectively while two runs came as extra. The remaining eight players could not score any run. As a result, Bangladesh won the match by 249 runs.

Ritu Moni completed her bowling quota of 4 overs claiming three wickets at the expense of only 1 run, while skipper Salma Khatun took the equal number of wickets giving two runs in 3.1 overs. Puja Chakraborty and Nahida Akter took one wicket each while two batswomen of Maldives were dismissed run-out.

Prior to this historic match, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by 7 wickets and Nepal by 10 wickets in their first two matches. The women in Red and Green made it to the final after their third consecutive win in the tournament on Thursday. The final will be held at the same venue on December 8. 

Scorecard- https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/19683/scorecard/1208808/bangladesh-women-vs-maldives-women-5th-match-south-asian-games-womens-cricket-competition-2019-20

Importance of English in Different Fields: Part One

The importance of English cannot be wholly described in one essay. In every aspect of our life, we can find the essence of learning this language. With the advancement of time, its importance is being increased. If a student is good at English, he is marked as good student. In the same way, if an employee has good command over English, he gets more salary than his or her other colleagues and has better job opportunities. On the contrary, if a student or employee is poor in English, he or she has very less chance to shine in life. So, to have a good fortune, we need to acquire this language. 

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English in education:

In the age of globalization, we cannot avoid the importance of learning English. The necessity of learning this particular language has become more prevalent in the field of education. English skill is a must if we want to have access to universal knowledge because a large number of scholarly articles, journals and books are either written or translated into the English language. At the university level, especially in private universities in Bangladesh, the medium of instruction as well as course books are English. If English loses its leading position, the education system of Bangladesh will be badly affected. 

Being skilled in English is of great importance for those students who want to go abroad for higher studies. Lack of proficiency in this particular language will not only put them in an environment where they will find it hard to adjust with the native students but also they will find it nearly impossible to continue their studies. In many countries, English is taught to children as a second language. However, in our country, the status of English is ‘foreign language’. 

English still maintains its dominance over science subjects. For this reason, English is called the language of science and technology. As a result of its control over science subjects, most of the researches and studies that we find in any given scientific field are written in this language. If one wants his research work to be read by many people around the world then it will have to be written in a language that people understand and communicate well in.

English in communication:

English is an international language. It has got the status of lingua franca. That means, when two or more speakers of different languages try to communicate with each other, they choose English as a medium of communication. It gives testimony to the power of English in the field of communication. In bilingual and multilingual countries, English can be used as a common language for inter-state communications. For example, people in India, the Philippines and Africa speak in 

In bilingual or multilingual countries, such as India, the Philippines and Africa, people of each state communicate in their language and often cannot speak or understand the regional language of other people. In such cases, English becomes the link between these people. However, in monolingual countries like Bangladesh, people can use English to make converse with other people living in different parts of the world. 

English in business:

The dominance of English is visible in the business world, where it is used as the universal language and medium of communication. English knowledge is considered one of the most important skills in the field of business. It is also accepted as one of the influential factors to expand business inside and outside the country. If one local company wants to deal with a foreign or multinational company then the business deal will have to be done in a language that can be understood by the officials of both the companies. In many countries, English is also used as official language. In bilingual and multilingual countries, employees communicate with each other in a common language and at present, it is English. Big companies located in those countries give more importance to English skills while hiring professional staff. Multinational and corporate companies consider their staff well educated based on their English skills- speaking, reading and writing. In Bangladesh, English is used as a co-official language. 

English in travel and tourism: 

Anyone can ask a question about the relationship between English and travel. If you travel somewhere else and do not know the native language then how do you communicate with the local people? The traveler will have to choose a language that both of them can understand and make communication in it well. In such cases, English can act as an international language for foreigners. Any travel booking site you can find is operated and maintained in English as a booking option. 

The internet and press:

Whether it is about finding serious information or getting entertainment, today’s generation relies very much on the Internet. The interesting thing is that the Internet is dominated by none other than the English language. If you browse on the Internet, you will find a great number of articles uploaded on the majority of the websites written in English. Not only that, but websites are also created in English. The key factors behind English’s dominance on the Internet are imperialism, and economic and political importance of English-speaking countries. This position of the English language will remain unchanged until any major world-scale economic and political change takes place. Such kind of incident might be able to promote a language other than English. However, until this kind of thing happens, we have to depend on English for Internet literacy. Thanks to the advancement of machine-readable software, sites in other languages will provide you the option to translate a particular article from a site, or the whole site. It is not up to the satisfactory level and a hundred percent accurate.

Moreover, the arrival of the Internet has made learning English online easier, better and more inexpensive option than doing it in a traditional classroom. For that, a student needs a computer connected to the Internet. Due to the availability of computers and Internet access, web-based English courses have increased a lot, which allows people to study English online. By offering online-based English courses, one can earn his livelihood.

English is the prime language of the press. The number of newspapers and books written in English is huge compared to any other language. It does not matter where you live, you will find some of these books and newspapers available in your country. 

Started with empty-hand, now she is a successful entrepreneur

On March 8, 2015, the original news titled “শূন্য হাতে শুরু, এখন সফল উদ্যোক্তা” was published in the daily Prothom Alo in Bengali language. After reading the news, I felt motivated and immediately decided to translate it into English language. If you want to read the original one then click the link given at the end of this article.

The event took place 31 years ago. A young woman took a job in a garments factory to earn her bread. She began as a supervisor with a monthly salary of Tk. 800. Few days after she joined the work, she felt the urge of a change in her mind- it cannot go on like this. She must learn the job of sewing to progress. Taking permission from the authority, she started sewing. She kept getting promoted in her job because of her efficiency in work. Now, she moved to another dream. Having been more organized and experienced, she once left the job to set up her own business. She started empty-handed, but now she is a successful entrepreneur. She is Baby Hasan, the owner of a buying house named BS Apparels.

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With her hard work and talent, Baby Hasan has become one of the successful entrepreneurs. Almost fifty female workers are now working under her. Her organization exports apparels in many countries of the world and its yearly transaction is worth Tk. five crores.

She did not start her career with the aim of becoming a successful business woman. Like others, she also started working for life’s sake. In 1981, with her parents’ decision, she got married after passing SSC examination. One year after her marriage, she gave birth to a baby girl. Her husband’s financial condition was not that much good. So, she took the decision of doing a job to bring some relief in the family. At the beginning, her family members did not give her much encouragement, but they accepted it later on. Till 1991, Baby Hasan worked in the garments factory. Then she was promoted to the production manager’s post.

Recalling memories of that time, she turned determined in her face. She said, “I would work 14 hours a day. Work would start at 8 o’clock in the morning and I returned home at 10 o’clock at night. I never neglected my work. In the beginning, I did not have the aim to go such a long distance, but once I loved my work, I decided to reach a certain level.”

In the middle of 90s, she joined a buying house after leaving her job at the garments factory. Alongside, she also started a small business related to her profession. In 2000, she became a member of an organization of small and cottage industries. She did not have that much money in hand, so he went to bank. She opened a boutique shop named Bitonu at the K Block in Halishahar upon taking Tk. two lakhs on loan. That year, an organization for women named Women Entrepreneurs’ Association (WEA) was established in Chittagong. She also became member of that organization. Almost 20 members took part in a handicraft fair in Kolkata from that organization towards the end of 2000. The fair has opened her eyes. She said, “In that fair, I have come to know many things about business. It was that day the idea of business, I don’t know how, got conceptualized in my head. I became determined that I have to be successful in business.”

I started to establish a buying house in partnership in 2002. Then in 2009, she established another buying house in the name of BS Apparels. The size of this organization is increasing every year. Her son, Salahuddin Chawhuri, has recently joined the business along with Baby Hasan.

She wants to give credit to two other women for coming from zero to today’s position. One is her mother, Farida Khatun, and another is business leader Monowara Hakim Ali. Baby Hasan’s mother died in 1998 after suffering from illness. She is still struck by the pain that her mother couldn’t see her ultimate success. Though her home district is in Nangalkot of Comilla district, she was born and brought up in Chittagong.

Baby had to manage her family alongside her job. So, she did not have any leisure time. But she has no regret for that. She said, “It did not seem to me that job or business was tough for women. If women try, they can become successful in business or in their work.” While she was speaking, there was a smile of gratification on her face for the success she achieved in her life. She said, “When girls I know want to do job, I encourage them to get involved in business, because creating job, rather than doing job, is our main target.

Source:

Prothom Alo

The beginning of the story is of taka 450

The original news titled “গল্পের শুরুটা ৪৫০ টাকার” was published on April 22, 2015 in the daily Prothom Alo in Bengali language. When I read the news and came to know the life struggle of a woman named Hasna Begum, I became very inspired and immediately decided to translate it into English. Here, in this post, I am sharing the translated one with all of you. I expect that seeing her success, many poverty-stricken women in our society will be motivated to do something good on their own. Link of the original news has been given at the end of the post. If you feel like reading the original one then you can clink on the link.

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Hasna Begum has her own factory where almost 200 women have become self-reliant working there. Hasna Begum has also trained them. But there was a time when she used to work in other’s factory for taka 450 as salary per month.

What factory does Hasna Begum have? She said, “Mainly I have garments factory. Three-piece, Panjabee, silk-woven saree etc. are made here. I also do handicraft on saree and make cushion cover and different types of show piece made by cloth.” She takes products from her factory named MPK Fabrics to fairs organized at home and abroad. Alongside, she has built a factory for making poultry food.

Hasna Begum’s house is in BSCIC area of Rajshahi city. Her husband’s name is Rezaul Ahsan. They have four children. Eldest son has become graduate. Two daughters are studying in polytechnic institute while the youngest son studies in class six. Hasna Begum studied till class ten. She got married in 1985. Before marriage, she used to work at other’s factory in BSCIC area for a monthly wage of taka 450. Joining her husband’s family after marriage, she started dreaming of building a factory using her past working experience.

Hasna Begum revealed, she took training from the Department of Women Affairs in 1990. “With the help of my husband, I started the business with 60,000 taka. At first, there were four hand-loom machines. I took part in a local trade fair and noticed that there was demand for our products. Afterwards, my interest got increased”, said Hasna Begum.

Her husband had a small land in Rajshahi city. They did not have the ability to utilize this land. Having gathered some courage, Hasna sold the land and bought four engine-run loom machines. Since then, the scope of her business began expanding.

In 2006, Hasna Begum through the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries took part in a trade fair organized in Kolkata. But, she did not get response as expected. Yet, Hasna was not disappointed. She registered an association named ARC in Export Promotion Bureau after coming back to the country. Since then, Hasna began to take part in different fairs organized abroad every year. She already participated in trade fairs organized in Nepal, and in several states of India including Kolkata, Assam and Gauhati.

Hasna Begum has no time to take rest. She herself has opened a training institute. She provides training to poor women. Every year, 130 women take training in handcraft from this training center. She provides these trained women yarn and fabric. They do work from home on sarees and cushion covers and make different types of show pieces before delivering them to Hasna Begum. Now, 15 women are working in her factory as employee. Besides, 40 women work for her staying at home. According to her estimate, at least 200 women have become self-reliant.

In 2014, Hasna Begom received government’s ‘Joyeeta’ award in Rajshahi division level.

Source:

Prothom Alo