Research is not limited to the global stage, nor is it confined solely within local experiences. A researcher must always maintain a balance between these two levels. Knowledge reaches its fullest potential when it merges local realities with global experiences.
This balance is even more crucial for young researchers in Bangladesh. Often, it is seen that students rely solely on international articles in their work. While this may lead to quality research, the context of Bangladesh is frequently absent. On the other hand, sometimes only Bengali-language articles or local information are used, which results in a loss of the global perspective. This causes the quality of research to become limited.
The strength of Bengali articles and research lies in their direct reflection of local problems. In fields like agriculture, environment, public health, or social science, the most accurate information is often found in Bengali publications. For example, when researching healthcare in a particular village, local surveys, newspaper reports, or government publications published in Bengali can prove to be much more effective.
On the other hand, international articles provide research with depth and a comparative outlook. By reading international journals, one can understand how the same problem is addressed in other countries, what methods are used, and what results have been obtained. This allows the researcher to place their work within a broader context.
To maintain this balance, the researcher needs to do two things. First, they must gather local Bengali articles and information, which make the research relevant. Second, they must cross-reference this information with international articles, so that the research becomes part of a global conversation. For example, when working on air pollution in Dhaka, it is necessary to consult both local surveys and international articles to understand how other major cities are addressing the same issue.
One challenge for Bangladeshi students is that Bengali articles are often not indexed in international databases. Therefore, local university libraries, government publications, and newspaper archives must be utilized to find them. On the other hand, international articles are easily accessible via Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or open access journals.
In conclusion, the quality of research depends on this balance. Using only international articles makes research isolated, and using only local information makes it limited. But when local context and global knowledge are combined, research becomes meaningful, relevant, and world-class. For young researchers, this is the key strategy—maintaining a balance between Bengali and international articles.
👉 Would you like me to provide a feature image illustration prompt for this as well?
Leave a comment