Equity and Exclusion: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Minority Teacher Educators in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh’s constitution guarantees equity, yet its education system reflects deep structural inequalities. Despite formal quota-based recruitment policies for ethnic minorities in public services and instructions but they still remain marginalized, particularly within education sector. This marginalization persists amid a political context where affirmative measures have disproportionately benefited privileged groups, such as descendants of freedom fighters, while the constitutional rights of minorities are neglected. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study explores how teacher educator recruitment practices perpetuate inequality and legitimize exclusion. Analysing interview data from minority and non-minority teacher educators beside policy documents, the research investigates whether barriers stem from bureaucratic inefficiency or deeper socio-structural disparities. Findings reveal that quota policies, while present on paper, function symbolically and are inconsistently applied. Bureaucratic rigidity, insensitive recruitment criteria, and covert discriminatory practices systematically disadvantage minority candidates, limiting their access and career progression. The study highlights an ideological disjuncture between state rhetoric and lived realities, arguing that tokenistic inclusion perpetuates structural inequities. It calls for reimagined equity frameworks that dismantle systemic barriers, ensure accountability, and align policy with Bangladesh’s commitment to justice and inclusion for all.