Challenges of Learning Arabic among Adult Learners in Bangladesh: A Quantitative Descriptive Study

Abstract

Bangladesh has a close historical relationship with the Arabic language, mainly due to its religious significance. However, in the contemporary global context, the importance of Arabic is no longer limited to religious matters; it has become increasingly significant in the fields of international relations and economic activities. In Bangladesh, there are primarily two education systems: 1. The general education system, where Arabic is absent in the curriculum. 2. The Madrasah education system, where Arabic is mandatory. That’s why students in general education systems often lack Arabic language skills. However, for students in the general education system, learning Arabic is limited to the various courses offered by university institutes, despite the growing demand. Since 2016, there has been a significant increase in the demand to learn Arabic among general educated adult learners, because some private institutes started the Arabic Language Courses for adults and successfully commercialized them. These adult learners, whether pursuing graduation or employed individuals, face numerous challenges in learning Arabic, including both non-linguistic and linguistic challenges. The study was conducted with 200 learners. Based on the goal of improving the educational experience of adult learners of Arabic in Bangladesh, this study adopts a descriptive and quantitative approach to pinpoint the challenges that they face and resolve them.

Mother Language, 2026; 10(1): 186-216