SPEECH COMMUNICATION ASSIGNMENT

PRESENTED TO :
SIR FARRUKH ASLAM
How businesses are different
PRESENTED BY:
with their respective culture? ➢ KHIZER
➢ AMAAN RAFIQ
➢ ABDUL REHMAN
➢ HAMZA
 BUSINESS CULTUR OF Bangladesh

➢ Core Concepts
Bangladesh is a relatively young sovereign state; however, it has an ancient heritage as part of the
historic region of Bengal, located in South Asia. The region’s struggles with colonialism and the 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War have shaped modern Bangladesh. Today, many foreigners continue to
view Bangladesh through a lens of ‘development’. However, many Bangladeshis resist depictions of
their culture that define it by recent hardships. Rather, longstanding cultural traditions and artistic
expressions provide a great source of pride for many Bangladeshis.

1) Ethnicity and Identity

The vast majority of Bangladeshis (98.0%) are identified as Bengali. The term ‘Bengali’ is used to
describe both an ethnicity and a language. Those who identify as Bengali typically speak Bangla,
known as ‘Bengali’ among most non-natives. The government of Bangladesh also recognises 27
other ethnic minorities. This figure is contested, with some arguing that there are over 70 ethnic groups
within the country. Many of those who are not Bengali reside in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the region
where most of Bangladesh’s indigenous populations reside.

Citizens of Bangladesh are often engaged in an ongoing discussion over which term – ‘Bangladeshi’
or ‘Bengali’ – is a more accurate descriptor both on an individual and national level. Those who feel
strongly attached to Bengal or belong to an ethnic minority may have widely differing viewpoints. Some
people believe that Bangladeshi and Bengali are synonymous. For others (such as Islamic activists
and secular thinkers), religion is an important factor within these discussions. Bangladesh’s national
identity has become increasingly linked to Islam, and many hold the belief that Islam is what
distinguishes Bangladesh from Bengal. See the Religion section for more information on this point.

A key historical moment in terms of identity is the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. Originally,
Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, and was often referred to as ‘East Pakistan’. Eventually, Bangladesh
sought independence from Pakistan, largely on the basis of a cultural heritage and religious affiliation
that was distinct from both Pakistan and the greater Bengal region respectively. Bangladeshi military
units called Mukti Bahini (‘freedom fighters’) fought Pakistani troops throughout the country. It is
unknown exactly how many people were killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War, with estimates
ranging from 300,000 to 3 million. Additionally, close to 10 million people fled Bangladesh for West
Bengal, located in India. Nearly all Bangladeshi families were affected, as almost every family had
members who fought in the liberation struggle. This struggle saw the forging of an identity that
correlated Bengali with ‘Muslim’, rather than seeing Bangladesh be subsumed into Pakistan or West
Bengal. Many Bangladeshis see the liberation struggle as a source of pride and a symbol of
Bangladeshis’ tendency to persevere in the face of difficulties.

2) Rural Life and the ‘Gram’ (Village)

The majority of Bangladeshis (roughly 65%) live in rural areas. This, coupled with Bangladesh’s very
high population density, means securing land tenure and property rights has become critical. Many feel
connected to the rural character of Bangladesh, regardless of whether they live at home or abroad. It
is common for people to have family residing in their home village (gram). Many of those who move to
larger cities for employment will visit their home village during vacations to maintain their relationships
and ties. Additionally, much of Bangladeshi literature and artistic expression pays homage to the rural
aspect of the culture. For more information about the importance of rural and village life, see
the Family section.

3) Interdependence and Interactions

Bangladesh is a collectivistic society, which means that many Bangladeshis are community or family
oriented. Individuals often understand themselves as members of their village, family or religion rather
than an individual and autonomous actor. The interests of the family or community are expected to
come before those of the individual. Where strong social connections are created, there is an
expectation that they will be long-lasting and reliable. Indeed, Bangladeshis can almost always trust in
their social ties for assistance in virtually any activity.

When interacting with others, a calm and serious demeanour is the norm. Many Bangladeshis consider
this conduct to be a sign of maturity. One’s behaviour varies based on the other person’s position within
the social hierarchy. Age and social position are key determinants in the level of respect required for
an individual. For example, elders often are viewed as wise and are granted a high amount of respect.
Hence, one would adopt a slightly more formal attitude and give precedence to an elder.

4) Communal Harmony

Communal harmony generally refers to the maintaining of harmony among communities despite
possible differences. Often, communal harmony in Bangladesh is associated with the peaceful
coexistence of religions. Given the rural character of Bangladesh, maintaining harmony is a common
characteristic for those living in rural, community-oriented settings. However, the concept extends into
daily life, whereby people seek peaceful interactions with one another. For example, a phrase that
parents often tell their children is ‘manush hou’, which roughly translates as ‘be human’. While this
translation does not accurately convey the meaning behind the statement, manush hou generally
means that one should act in such a way that places the trait of being human above differences in
religion, ethnicity and so on.
 ➢ Do's and Don'ts

Do’s
• Talking at length about your particular speciality or technical skill is generally welcomed. However,
be sure not to come across as though you believe you are superior.
• Build personal relationships on a one-to-one basis and be considerate of the types of questions you
ask in order to form a bond with your Bangladeshi counterpart. Questions about one’s income or
profession may not be appropriate.
• Pay attention to smaller acts of hospitality and courtesy by offering to put others before yourself.
Being considerate of other’s needs without them having to articulate what those are will be
appreciated by your Bangladeshi counterpart.
• Be respectful of elders. Bangladeshis consider elders to be deeply important and requiring
deference.
Don'ts

• Avoid making judgements in absolute terms of right or wrong until you have a clear understanding of
the circumstance. For many Bangladeshis, the context and situation are important in understanding
whether something is moral and just.
• Do not criticise or joke about anything that may offend a Bangladeshi’s national pride. The country
has faced a struggle to distinguish itself, hence Bangladeshis value their national symbols and
Bangla language.
• People greatly respect their elders, so avoid any remarks that criticise or disregard an older person’s
status or opinion.
• Drawing parallels between Bangladesh and other countries on the Indian subcontinent such as India
or Pakistan may offend your Bangladeshi counterpart. Bangladeshis often get these comparisons,
yet take great pride in being culturally and politically distinct from both India and Pakistan.

➢ Communication

Verbal

• Indirect Communication: Bangladeshis are usually indirect communicators. Opinions are often
communicated in a delicate manner, and there is a cultural tendency to avoid strongly worded
statements, assertions or confrontation. However, the style of communication a Bangladeshi adopts
generally depends on the degree of acquaintance. To close relatives or friends, they may speak in
a direct manner whereas they may speak indirectly towards acquaintances or in a professional
context. In order to be polite, Bangladeshis will often tell their counterpart what they want to hear. A
good approach is to see what non-verbal actions follow and ask open-ended questions that allow
them to reach their answer in their own time.
• Language Style: While those unfamiliar with Bangladeshis may perceive of their communication
style as abrupt because of the content of their speech, Bangladeshis tend to communicate in long
and rich sentences. They are quite courteous in their communication style and may welcome
flattery.
• Refusals: For questions and requests that require a yes or no answer, Bangladeshis tend to phrase
their responses in such a way that their counterpart may need to consider what is being implied.
Phrases such as ‘that may be difficult’, ‘I can try’ or ‘I have to give it some thought’ may mean ‘this
cannot be done’. In these instances, silence is also often used as a communication tool. One
approach is to ask questions in several ways so you can discern what was meant by a vague
response.
• Humour: In Bangladeshi, humour tends to be related to the victory of the underdog over the ‘big
guy’ or urbanite. Satire or sarcasm is not commonly used.
• Soft Voices: Bangladeshis are often softly spoken and tend to avoid loudly expressing themselves.
People may come across as being heated or angry if they speak loudly, thus causing the speaker to
lose face.

Non-Verbal

• Personal Space: Bangladeshis tend to stand or sit close together during conversations. The
proximity between people conversing is smaller if they are the same gender. Close proximity
indicates warmth and familiarity.
 • Physical Contact: For those of the same gender, holding hands, touching arms or putting hands
around shoulders are common and acceptable. The more familiar people are with one another, the
more common physical contact is during conversation. However, it is generally considered socially
unacceptable for people of opposite genders to touch one another. Public displays of affection such
as kissing and hugging are especially taboo.
• Eye Contact: In Bangladesh, openly staring at someone is not considered impolite. Eye contact is
generally held during conversation and acts as a sign of sincerity.
• Facial Expression: Bangladeshis tend to minimise their facial expressions. They may not smile
during conversations. This is not thought of as being unfriendly or cold, but rather related to the idea
that a serious face is believed to show maturity. The proverb, ‘the face is the index of the mind’
reflects the rationale for this cultural norm.
• Listening: Bangladeshis tend to be careful listeners. Their courteous communication style means
that they try not to interrupt their conversation partner.
• Gestures: Bangladeshis may point with their chin rather than their finger. Beckoning with the index
finger is considered rude.

➢ Business Culture

1. Meetings

• Try to arrive for a meeting on time, but be prepared to wait for your business counterpart.
• During the first meeting, expect a fair amount of small talk. Often, business matters are reserved for
subsequent meetings once this initial contact and familiarity has been made. Even then, it is
considered rude to launch into business discussions or negotiations right from the outset. Meetings
usually begin with small talk.
• Meetings are often led by the most senior person who will set the agenda and the pace of the
meeting.
• It is expected that the group will defer to the most senior person. This is particularly true when
dealing with government officials.
• The structure of a meeting is generally not linear. While there may be an agenda and a starting time,
they tend to serve as guidelines and are not strictly observed.
• Meetings are generally for the purpose of establishing who will make decisions, not for actually
making final decisions. Decisions that are made usually come from the top down and can take some
time to be finalised.
• Bangladeshis put higher priority on achieving a meeting’s purpose and goals than sticking to a set
schedule. Thus, meetings are not rushed and may extend well past the scheduled end time.

2. Harmony

Prior to business-related conversations, a harmonious environment is often created through an

informal gathering at a restaurant for a lunch or dinner. Maintaining harmony among employees,
employers and business partners is a core part of business interactions in Bangladesh. It is important
to remain calm and avoid strong expressions as this may lead to a loss of ‘face’, dignity or respect.
Periods of silence are considered normal and are expected, so avoid interrupting others or talking
over someone. Hard selling or pressure tactics will disrupt the group harmony and will negatively
impact your Bangladeshi counterpart’s perception of you. As long as harmony is maintained,
Bangladeshis will endeavor to advance goals and seek solutions that will satisfy all involved.

3. Considerations

• In a business setting, a handshake is very common. However, a man should not shake hands with a
woman unless she offers her hand first.
• Always use your right hand when receiving or offering items, such as business cards.
• Bangladeshis tend to freely exchange business cards with no formal ritual as to how to give or
receive a card. Nonetheless, business cards should be treated with respect.
• Professionalism is highly valued. Overly casual behaviour may be misinterpreted as a lack of
respect.
• Businessmen should be addressed as ‘Bahadur’ (‘sir’) while women may be addressed as ‘Begum’
(‘madam’). This may be used with or without the surname.
• Once you have developed a stronger relationship with your Bangladeshi business counterpart, you
can move on to a first-name basis. However, it is advised to wait until your counterpart invites you to
use their first name.
• Exchanging gifts is less common between business colleagues, and gifts are usually not exchanged
at the first business meeting.
• Many Bangladeshi business people have a fair knowledge of English. In the presence of foreigners,
Bangladeshis may unintentionally converse in Bangla. This is not usually intended to appear
exclusionary or discourteous.
• Educational qualifications are highly valued in Bangladesh. Be sure to let your counterparts know (in
a humble manner) of your qualifications should you have any.
• Social and business customs in Bangladesh tend to be more strongly observed and formal than in
Australia.
• Avoid having a ‘know-all’ approach towards your Bangladeshi counterpart. Bangladeshis will most
likely be wary of expatriates who push strong opinions, and may interpret this as a belief that their
customs and methods of doing business are superior to those of Bangladeshis.
• On the Corruption Perception Index (2017), Bangladesh ranks 143th out of 180 countries, receiving
a score of 28 (on a scale from 0 to 100). This suggests that the country’s public sector is somewhat
corrupt.

➢ References

Author: Chara Scroope, 2017

• Advameg. (2016). Bangladesh. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Bangladesh.html.

• Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017). Census 2016, Country of Birth of Person by Sex
(SA2+) [Data set]. http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ABS_C16_T06_SA.
• Australian Trade and Investment Commission. (2016). Market Profile - Bangladesh. Retrieved
from http://www.austrade.gov.au/Australian/Export/Export-markets/Countries/Bangladesh/Doing-
business.
• Bangladesh.com. (2017). Bangladesh Channel. Retrieved from http://www.bangladesh.com/.
• Census Organisation of India. (2011). West Bengal Religion Census 2011. Retrieved
from http://www.census2011.co.in/data/religion/state/19-west-bengal.html.
• Central Intelligence Agency. (2017). The World Factbook: Bangladesh. Retrieved
from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.html.
• COMMISCEO Global. (2016). Bangladesh Guide. Retrieved from http://www.commisceo-
global.com/country-guides/bangladesh-guide.
• Culture Crossing Guide. (2014). Bangladesh. Retrieved
from http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=18.
• Datta-Ray, S. K. (2016). Both Bengali and Muslim? The unresolved dilemma of Bangladesh’s
identity. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/article-3562181/Both-Bengali-Muslim-
unresolved-dilemma-Bangladesh-s-identity.html.
• Department of Home Affairs. (2019). Bangladesh-born: Community Information Summary. Retrieved
from https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/mca/files/2016-cis-bangladesh.PDF
• Dummett, M. (2011). Bangladesh war: The article that changed history. Retrieved
from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16207201.
• Global Affairs Canada. (2014). Cultural Information - Bangladesh. Retrieved
from https://www.international.gc.ca/cil-cai/country_insights-apercus_pays/ci-ic_bd.aspx?lang=eng.
• Guhathakurta, M., & van Schendel, W. (Eds.). (2013). The Bangladesh Reader: History, Culture,
Politics. London: Duke University Press.
• Husain, S. S., & Tinker, H. R. (2016). Bangladesh. Retrieved
from https://www.britannica.com/place/Bangladesh.
• Khalidi, S., McIlroy, F., & Neumayer, H. (2012). The Cultural Dictionary and Directory. Canberra:
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc.
• Lewis, R. D. (2006). When Cultures Collide. Boston: Nicholas Brealey International.
• Multicultural South Australia. (2014). Bangladesh: a profile of Bangladesh-born South Australians.
Retrieved from http://www.multicultural.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/22019/Bangladesh-
Dec-2014.pdf.
• Muniruzzaman, M. (2015). Culture of Bangladesh. Retrieved
from https://www.slideshare.net/joyprotim/culture-of-bangladesh-52455335.
• Museum Victoria Australia. (n.d.). History of immigration from Bangladesh. Retrieved
from https://museumvictoria.com.au/origins/history.aspx?pid=4.
• Pabna, S. (2012). Anthropology Bangladesh. Retrieved from http://anthropology-
bd.blogspot.com.au/.
• Pew Research Center. (2015). The future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010 -
2015. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/muslims/pf_15-04-
02_projectionstables74/.
• Samuels, G. (2016). Bangladesh considering dropping Islam as a state religion, according to senior
minister. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladesh-islam-state-
religion-government-considers-dropping-a7418366.html.
• Transparency International. (2018). Corruption Perceptions Index 2017. Retrieved
from https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2017
• Virtual Bangladesh. (2015). Languages of Bangladesh: Bangla - Bengali. Retrieved
from http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/culture/bangla-bengali/.