This qualitative phenomenological study explores how Bangladeshi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) instructors perceive and integrate cultural contexts into their teaching practices within tertiary-level classrooms. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with fifteen instructors from public and private universities in Dhaka, the study examines teachers’ understandings of the relationship between language and culture, the strategies they employ, and the challenges they encounter when incorporating cultural relevance into English instruction. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed five key themes: (1) the perceived importance of cultural integration in fostering communicative competence, (2) instructional strategies for incorporating local and global cultural references, (3) institutional and curricular constraints shaping pedagogical decisions, (4) resource limitations and teacher preparation, and (5) evolving beliefs and intercultural sensitivity among instructors. Findings indicate that teachers perceive culturally familiar materials as supporting learner engagement and identity expression, though such impressions are based on classroom observations rather than direct measurement. The study highlights the role of teacher agency within structural limitations and underscores the need for contextually responsive materials and professional development. The results contribute to ongoing discussions on culturally grounded ELT in the Global South by foregrounding teacher voices and offering context-sensitive implications for curriculum design and pedagogical practice. • Explores Bangladeshi EFL instructors’ perceptions and practices of integrating culture in teaching. • Shows teachers value culture for communication but face institutional, curricular, and resource limits. • Finds teachers use local strategies blending global English norms with Bangladeshi cultural references. • Refines Sociocultural Theory and Byram’s ICC by placing them in a Global South EFL context. • Offers pedagogical implications and a model of how beliefs, agency, and institutions shape practice.
Kazi Md Azman Hossain (Fri,) studied this question.