Dhaka, June 4 -- As English remains one of the most globally used languages, students in Bangladesh often assume that the language itself and the academic discipline or degree are one and the same.

As a practitioner, some common responses I hear about why students want to study the subject include their desire to "learn how to communicate in English properly", or that they happened to receive "very good grades in English" (perhaps in college), and, most commonly, "because I want to settle abroad".

Parents, who are often the students' primary advisors, also encourage earning a degree in English for many of the same reasons as well as for "prestige" or future career growth and job security.

While having a handle on the language can certa...