2 English-medium schools outside Dhaka aim to provide world-class education

When people talk about English-medium schools or world-class education, institutions in Dhaka usually come to mind first.

However, times are changing. Outside the capital, a number of educational institutions are now emerging that are redefining international-standard education.

This shift is reflected in the ‘English Medium School Admission Fair 2026’, jointly organised by the British Council and Prothom Alo.com.

Alongside the online event running from 26 April to 5 May, an offline fair was held on Saturday (2 May) at the Gulshan Shooting Club in Dhaka. Several English-medium schools from across the country participated.

Among them, North West International School from Rangpur and Haileybury Bhaluka from Mymensingh particularly drew attention.

Abu Hena Md Sarowar Jahan, principal of North West International School, said, “Our initiative stems from the desire to ensure that people in the northern region do not fall behind in education. Many in our region have yet to fully realise the importance of world-class education. I have taught in English-medium schools for 26 years, and I have always felt the need for an institution here that offers education at an international standard. Our purpose in coming to this fair from Rangpur is simple—to let people know that such an institution exists in northern Bangladesh.”

He added, “We want global education to be accessible to all. That is why our fees are relatively affordable compared to many other English-medium schools. We also plan to expand our activities to other areas of northern Bangladesh in the future. Many of our students are already working in reputed institutions both at home and abroad.”

On the other hand, Haileybury Bhaluka in Mymensingh is an educational institution directly managed from the United Kingdom.

Ayesha Akter Asha, Senior Enrollment Manager of the institution, said, “After the decision to establish a branch in Bangladesh, we were looking for a location with a calm and pollution-free environment. Considering that, Bhaluka was selected.”

She further said, “Students from different parts of the country are now studying at our school. The standard of education here is at an international level, and special emphasis is also placed on students’ mental well-being. There is an open playground where they can take part in various sports such as basketball, football, and cricket. Such an environment is very important for the overall development of a child.”

The emergence of such internationally standard educational institutions in different parts of the country, moving beyond the Dhaka-centric concept of education, is undoubtedly a positive change. It allows students to access world-class education from their own regions, which will further enrich the country’s overall education system in the future. Organisers hope that initiatives like the English Medium School Admission Fair 2026 will play a greater role in promoting such institutions outside Dhaka in the future.