TESOL Society Bangladesh host 1st Int’l conference 

TESOL Society of Bangladesh organised its 1st International Virtual Research Conference titled "Contextualizing Research in Challenging Times" on 18-19 December. 

The conference was inaugurated by University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) member Prof Dr Md Sazzad Hossain who is also the director of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL). 

Dhaka University Institute of Modern Language Prof Dr Sayeedur Rahman, the President of TESOL Society of Bangladesh, presided over the conference and delivered the welcome speech. 

Warwick University Center for Applied Linguistics Reader Dr Richard Smith and Samarkand State University Head of the English Department Prof Dr Ravinder Gargesh delivered their keynote speeches respectively on "Research for super–difficult circumstances: where to start and how to go on" and on "The Dynamics of Contextualization in Research". 

In the plenary session, Prof Dr Kamarul Kabilan, School of Educational Studies, University Sains Malaysia; Prof Dr Shaila Sultana, Institute of Modern Languages, Dhaka University; Dr. Sandesha Rayapa-Garbiyal, Assistant Professor, Linguistic Empowerment Cell, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof Dr Elizabeth Erling, Department of English and American Studies, University of Vienna;  Dr Asifa Sultana, Associate Professor, Department of English and Humanities, BRAC University; Prof Dr Niladri Shekhar Dash, Head of Linguistic Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute & Visiting Fellow, Oxford University; Dr Raqib Chowdhury, Faculty of Education, Monash University; Dr Manzoorul Abedin, Senior Lecturer in Education and Society, University of West London; Dr Jahurul Islam, Lecturer, Department of Linguistics, British Columbia University and Dr Mohammad Golam Jamil TESTA Researcher, Bristol University presented their talk on different methodologies and perspectives of research that provided significant insights on conducting research during challenging times.

In the second day, there was a roundtable discussion with the participation of speakers of the conference and a presentation competition with the participation of MPhil/PhD/MA researchers. 

Finally, the two-day-long event came to an end with the vote of thanks from the vice president of TESOL Society of Bangladesh, Hamidul Haque, Head, Department of English, American International University, Bangladesh and the conference convenor, Dr Tasnima Aktar, Associate Professor, Comilla University.