English, Power, and Inequality

What happens when a global language takes root in a postcolonial society? This book explores how English operates in Bangladesh, showing how linguistic imperialism, linguistic influentialism, and oppression shape education, culture, and opportunity. Through surveys, interviews, and phonetic analysis, it follows students and teachers as they negotiate identity, aspiration, and belonging within English-centred classrooms. The analysis reveals how English, embedded in techno-feudal and (post)colonial hierarchies, reshapes power relations between the core and the periphery, while exposing the enduring linguistic whiteness of the British colonial legacy. Rich in data and critical insight, the study offers a compelling account of language, equity, and transformation in the Global South.

Abdul Awal, received his PhD from the University of Łódź, Poland, in 2025. He also holds an MA in Applied Multilingualism and Multiculturalism from the University of Warsaw, Poland. He is currently a faculty member at the Chair of South Asian Studies, Faculty of Asian and African Cultures, University of Warsaw, Poland. His research explores the intersections of language, power, and culture. He has presented his work at international conferences in Asia, Europe, and the United States.