I came to Canada as a young girl and was enrolled in a French-language school. Because my parents did not speak French and my teachers communicated with me only in French, learning the language was difficult and isolating. I struggled to express myself, make friends and feel confident. It took me years to become comfortable speaking French.

Today, I have been teaching French in Montréal for seven years. As a native Bengali speaker who has experienced the journey from both sides—as a learner and now as a teacher—I understand many of the challenges Bengali-speaking students face.

I created French2Bengali to make French more approachable for my community. I explain concepts in Bengali and provide helpful transliterations so learners can understand, practise and speak with greater confidence.