Bangladesh

Greetings

Men greeting Men – A simple verbal greeting of “Salam Aleikum” tends to be most common. The appropriate response is “wa alaikum salam”. Handshakes are common as well, more so in business and formal settings. Handshakes tend to be on the light/limp side.

Women greeting Women – A simple verbal greeting of “Salam Aleikum” tends to be most common. The appropriate response is “wa alaikum salam”. Good friends and family may engage in a light hug as well. Handshakes are not as common.

Greetings between Men and Women – A simple verbal greeting of “Salam Aleikum” tends to be most common. The appropriate response is “wa alaikum salam”. There is little to no contact between genders. In business and formal situations it is best for men to wait to see of the woman extends her hand first, if at all.

Note: Greetings with members of the Hindu population generally begin with the palms pressed together at around chest level and saying, “Namaste”.

When greeting an elder, many younger people will touch the feet of the elder, with the right hand, and then touch the hand to their lips and forehead as a sign of respect. Foreigners are not expected to do this, but should when meeting those of extremely high status like a religious leader or guru.

Communication Style

• Communication style with Bengali people usually depends on the degree of acquaintance. For a close relative or friend, you usually speak directly. For a distant acquaintance or a professional contact, it is more customary to speak indirectly.
• People generally avoid confrontation and being rude to one another, so speaking indirectly helps facilitate this.
• When communicating it’s often the case that people will tell you what you want to hear in order to be polite. It’s best to be patient and see what non-verbal actions follow the communication. One Bengali proverb to be aware of is "face is the index of mind".
• Most people show strong deference to elders and women.

Personal Space & Touch

• An arm’s length or more of personal space is usually the norm for any formal/business communication.
• For members of the same sex, holding hands, touching the arm, or putting hands around shoulders is acceptable, except in formal situations or with strangers. For opposite sexes, it is not acceptable to touch.
• Younger generations nowadays tend to be more western in their approach.

Eye Contact

You can maintain eye contact with members of the same sex, but not for an extended amount of time. There tends to be limited to no direct eye contact with members of the opposite sex, especially in religiously conservative areas. Less eye contact can often be a sign of respect.

Gestures

• The thumbs up sign is considered a rude gesture.
• It is common to remove one's shoes at places of worship, when visiting people's homes, and even in certain shops and businesses. A good rule to follow is if you see shoes arranged near the door, take yours as well.
• The head wobble, which is common, can mean "yes" and not "no". It depends on the angle and expression and the speed to determine which is which.
• To beckon someone, you hold your hand palm out, fingers up, and move the fingers towards the palm. You would point subtly, like with an open palm or several fingers. The middle finger is still considered obscene.

Views of Time

• Time tends to be very casually viewed and maintained in most areas of the country. It is customary to be late to start meetings or social events, so many people often show up late. This is true both for personal and professional pursuits.
• Private bus services nowadays mostly run on time. The government train service is not too bad in being punctual, except when there are accidents or other “unavoidable delays”, which are pretty common.
• People give time freely, except when they are trying to avoid you.
• In a social setting, friends may arrive more than two hours late

Gender Roles

• Depending on the area, women's rights are either somewhat established, dawning, or basically non-existent.
• In most rural areas, women are seen as caregivers, mothers, and not much more.
• While opportunities for women in urban areas are increasing, there is still a great disparity with men.
• Women work, so a family that is middle class or above will hire help to raise children. Women are usually polite and keep their gestures small to avoid attracting attention.

Taboos

• Kissing or hugging in public is a major taboo.
• Smoking or talking loudly in front of elders is considered rude. In general loud behavior, including any expression of anger is to be avoided.
• Avoid giving or receiving anything with your left hand, always use the right. This goes for eating and drinking as well.

Law & Order

• Drinking is illegal and punishable by prison sentence, except for licensed drinkers and distributors. However, because the laws are generally not well enforced, many people do drink covertly.
• The legal smoking age is 15 but it is not readily enforced. Many kids at grades 6-7 smoke.
• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
• Drugs are more available than alcohol. Use of all substances is punishable with jail time/fines, as the country is governed by Sharia law, but avoidable with a substantial bribe. Smoking cigarettes is permissible although not common.

Dress

• Dress is quite conservative for both men and women.
• For Men: conservative, dark colored suits. Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off if possible.
• For Women: conservative business suits or dresses and blouses are appropriate. Avoid tight fitting and revealing clothing, as well sleeveless attire. Dresses should not reveal too much of the legs.
• Jeans and less casual attire are not recommended for a first meeting.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are important and it is best to address people directly by using their professional title or Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname.
• Many people refer to one another using the surname followed by the suffix “ji”. This is used as a sign of respect.
• It's best to wait to be invited before using someone's first name.
• Business cards are usually handed out after the initial handshake and/or greeting.
• Always present and receive business cards with your right hand.
• It is best to treat business cards with respect so avoid folding or writing on them.

Meetings

• Arrive at meetings on time even though you may be kept waiting.
• Meetings usually begin with a fair amount of small-talk and often times no business is discussed during the initial meeting.
• Meeting agendas and schedules tend to be loosely followed and it is common for meetings to run lengthy.
• As Bangladesh is a very hierarchical society it is usually best to defer to the most senior person in the room when it comes to beginning and guiding conversations.
• Periods of silence are considered acceptable and are to be expected. Avoid interrupting and talking over someone if possible.
• As most Bengali value an indirect communication style, it is likely they will avoid using no in answering questions. They tend to say, “maybe”, or “that would be difficult”.

Negotiations

• Avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or confrontation. Saving face and maintaining the semblance of harmony is important.
• Decisions usually come from the top down and tend to take some time to be made.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not usually exchanged at a first business meeting.
• If invited to a Bengali home, it is appropriate to bring chocolates, pastries or sweets. Avoid bringing wine or any liquor.
• Gifts are not to be opened when they are received. It is best to do this in private.
• It is best to give and receive gifts with the both hands.

In the Classroom