Topic vocabulary: society, crime and government

something that makes people decide not to do something because they are afraid of the consequences; the verb is 'deter' /dɪˈtɜː/ (deter somebody from doing something)

অপরাধ থেকে বিরত রাখার উপায়; নিবৃত্তিকারী

Supporters of long prison sentences argue that they act as a powerful deterrent to would-be criminals.

the process of helping an offender return to a normal, law-abiding life, for example through education, training or therapy; the verb is 'rehabilitate'

(অপরাধীর) সংশোধন ও পুনর্বাসন

Prisons that focus on rehabilitation, for instance by teaching inmates a trade, tend to have lower rates of reoffending.

a punishment in which an offender is sent to prison; a punishment without prison, such as a fine or community service, is a 'non-custodial sentence'

কারাদণ্ড

For minor, non-violent offences, a custodial sentence may do more harm than good.

a person who has committed a crime

অপরাধী

Young offenders are usually kept apart from adult prisoners so that they do not learn criminal habits.

the tendency of a person who has been punished for a crime to commit another crime; in everyday English, 'reoffending'

শাস্তি পাওয়ার পরও আবার অপরাধে জড়ানোর প্রবণতা

Studies in several countries suggest that education in prison significantly reduces recidivism.

crime and antisocial behaviour by young people, usually under the age of 18; a young person who does this is a 'juvenile delinquent'

কিশোর অপরাধ

Poverty, dropping out of school and a lack of parental supervision are often linked to juvenile delinquency.

unpaid work that an offender is ordered to do for the local community instead of going to prison

সমাজসেবামূলক শাস্তি

The teenagers were sentenced to 100 hours of community service, cleaning parks and repainting school walls.

the work of the police and other official bodies in making sure that people obey the law

আইন প্রয়োগ; আইনশৃঙ্খলা রক্ষা

Strict law enforcement, not just new laws, is needed to stop drivers using their phones at the wheel.

punishment by death for a very serious crime

মৃত্যুদণ্ড

Opponents of capital punishment point out that innocent people have sometimes been executed by mistake.

crime that is not very serious, such as shoplifting, pickpocketing or minor vandalism; the opposite of serious or violent crime

ছোটখাটো অপরাধ

Petty crime such as mobile phone snatching is common on crowded buses and at busy junctions.

intended as a punishment, and often severe or harsh

শাস্তিমূলক

Critics argue that a purely punitive approach to drug use fills prisons without solving the underlying problem.

a law or set of laws passed by a parliament; it is uncountable, so say 'a piece of legislation' or 'a law', not 'a legislation'

আইন; আইন প্রণয়ন

The government could introduce legislation requiring every garment factory to have fire exits that are regularly inspected.

an official rule made by a government or authority, or the control of an activity by such rules; the verb is 'regulate'

বিধিমালা; নিয়ন্ত্রণ

Without stricter regulation, private clinics can charge patients almost whatever they like.

(of a government or organisation) to pay part of the cost of something so that it becomes cheaper for people; the noun is 'subsidy' (American spelling: subsidize)

ভর্তুকি দেওয়া

The government subsidises fertiliser so that farmers can grow rice at a price consumers can afford.

to officially give money, time or resources to someone or for a particular purpose; the noun is 'allocation'

বরাদ্দ করা

Critics argue that the government should allocate more funding to primary healthcare than to new flyovers.

services such as healthcare, education, transport and policing that the government provides for everyone, usually paid for by taxes

সরকারি সেবা; জনসেবা

Rapid population growth has put enormous pressure on public services in Dhaka.

a person who pays tax; 'taxpayers' money' is the public money that governments spend

করদাতা

Building a new stadium with taxpayers' money is hard to justify when many schools lack basic equipment.

help, especially money or services, that the government gives to people who are poor, unemployed, elderly or ill; also a person's general health and happiness

সমাজকল্যাণ; কল্যাণ

Countries with strong welfare systems tend to have lower levels of extreme poverty.

responsible for your decisions and actions and expected to explain them to the public; the noun is 'accountability'

জবাবদিহিমূলক; জবাবদিহি করতে বাধ্য

Officials who misuse public funds must be held accountable, whatever their position.

to put a plan, policy or decision into action; the noun is 'implementation'

বাস্তবায়ন করা

Good policies achieve little if they are not implemented effectively at local level.

a new plan or action intended to solve a problem or achieve a particular aim

উদ্যোগ

A school-meals initiative in poorer districts has helped to improve attendance and concentration.

a person, especially in government, who is responsible for deciding policies

নীতিনির্ধারক

Policymakers must balance the need for economic growth against the protection of workers' rights.

an unfair situation in which some groups in society have more wealth, opportunities or rights than others

অসমতা; বৈষম্য

Inequality in access to good schools prevents many rural children from reaching their potential.

actions and policies that reduce poverty and its effects

দারিদ্র্য বিমোচন

Microcredit, pioneered in Bangladesh by the Grameen Bank, is one of the best-known approaches to poverty alleviation.

the degree to which people in a society trust each other, feel connected and work together, despite their differences

সামাজিক সংহতি

Shared celebrations such as Pohela Boishakh help to strengthen social cohesion across religious and economic divides.

a situation in which people of all genders have the same rights, opportunities and treatment

লিঙ্গসমতা; নারী-পুরুষ সমতা

Bangladesh has made notable progress towards gender equality in education, with more girls than boys now enrolled in secondary school.

the movement of people from the countryside to towns and cities, usually in search of work and better services

শহরমুখী অভিবাসন

Urban migration has separated many families, with fathers working in Dhaka while their children grow up in the village.

treated as unimportant and pushed to the edge of society, with little power or influence (American spelling: marginalized)

প্রান্তিক; সমাজে অবহেলিত

Policies must reach marginalised communities, such as tea-garden workers and families living on remote river islands.

to give someone more control over their own life, or the confidence, rights or resources to do something; the noun is 'empowerment'

ক্ষমতায়ন করা

Giving women access to credit and mobile banking can empower them to make their own financial decisions.

having less money, education or opportunity than most people in society

সুবিধাবঞ্চিত

Scholarships can help talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend university.

unfair treatment of a person or group because of their gender, religion, ethnicity, disability or another characteristic

বৈষম্যমূলক আচরণ

Laws against discrimination in hiring are useless unless employers who break them are punished.

the ability of people to move to a higher social or economic position than their parents had

সামাজিক অবস্থানের উন্নতির সুযোগ (সামাজিক গতিশীলতা)

Free, high-quality secondary education is one of the most powerful drivers of social mobility.