Decolonisation of World Englishes: a critical analysis of the English language textbook at the higher secondary level of education in Bangladesh

This paper provides a critical review of the English language textbook English for Today (EfT) (2022), taught in higher secondary education within Bangladesh, in relation to the decolonisation framework of World Englishes (WEs) and the concept of ‘colonialingualism’. The content analysis reveals that the ethos of WEs is minimally reflected across various linguistic features. While EfT incorporates ornamental expressions and employs Bangla words in italics to suggest local ownership of English and its relevance to local contexts, it simultaneously depicts the West as an idealised utopia, contrasting it with Bangladesh, which is beset by poverty, natural disasters, corruption, and traditional, conservative lifestyles. The textbook activities seem limited in fostering critical engagement. Moreover, the influence of colonialingualism appears to overshadow efforts aimed at decolonising WEs. The paper concludes that WEs will become more significant both critically and pedagogically if the content and activities are selected with a decolonisation perspective.