Day 2015-01-20

“Languages are jealous sovereigns, and passports are rarely allowed for travellers to cross their strictly guarded borders” said Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengal poet and Nobel laureate. Difference in language is one of the most fundamental – a divide which remains unabridged by technology and good intentions. Language is perhaps the greatest obstacle facing a CAPI intern during their placement abroad, posing both practical and existential challenges. As visitors to Bangladesh, these differences affect our daily routines, as well as how we understand, view, and interact with the Bangladeshis who are our hosts, and vice versa. The following podcast and document are an introduction to Bangla – the basics for day to day – as well as some of the language’s history and what it means for the country of Bangladesh.