ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the linguistic landscapes (LLs) of government primary schools at Khagrachari, within the multilingual and multicultural ecology of Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh. With a multi-modal analysis of LLs, the chapter explores the ways languages and semiotic resources interact with the contextual realities shaped by historical, political, social, and economic factors that influence the choices of languages, signs, and symbols in the LLs of these schools where indigenous ethnic minorities constitute the majority. The findings indicate that the learning environments of these schools are vibrant and colourful, with teaching aids and decorative wall art. While Bangla, the official and national language, and Bangladeshi culture and heritage are predominant in the LLs, along with English, the cultures, heritages, and languages of the indigenous ethnic communities have little representation. The chapter concludes that Bangla-centric national and official language policies are shaping the LLs of these schools, reifying the assumptions about subtractive bilingualism and the relative values of Bangla and English over indigenous languages. In the end, the chapter suggests how emancipatory multilingual LLs may be ensured by supporting linguistic diversity at the grassroots level.
