Suggested Essay Topics

Below is a list of suggested essay topics that you could write on to prepare for the Written Section. Although there is a time limit, you should allow yourself to brainstorm and take your time at the beginning. You will get better with practice. I have highlighted the topics I felt are important. Note that, although there is very little chance of getting a topic such as "The rainy season", it would help you considerably in your practice if you think out of the box and come up with something out of the ordinary in your writing for such topics.  You could also look online for some data related to the rainy season, which could perhaps help you with some other writing.  A good grasp on general knowledge could come in handy. Also while you prepare, put higher priority on current issues. It is also very unlikely that you will be asked to write on your feelings about the first test match victory of Bangladesh (unless the examiner comes across this blog and decides to prove me wrong, very unlikely I know ;)). I also suggest you stick to British English. Although I have written 'favor' below, which is the American spelling of 'favour', remember that most of the faculty members at IBA are somewhat traditional.

Bangladesh

1. Pahela Baishakh
2. The seasons of Bangladesh
3. The rainy season
4. A Spring Morning
5. Rivers of Bangladesh
6. The streets of Dhaka
7. The season I like most
8. The importance of the 21st
9. Independence day 
10. Natural resources of Bangladesh 
11. Independence day 
12. My feelings about the first test match victory of Bangladesh
13. Digital Bangladesh

Bangladesh (Social Issues)

1. Traffic congestion in Dhaka city
2. Floods in Bangladesh
3. Environmental Pollution in Bangladesh
4. Electricity crisis
5. The population problem of Bangladesh
6. Unemployment Problem
7. Female Education in Bangladesh
8. Free market economy in Bangladesh, do you favor it?
9. Student Politics
10. Globalization is beneficial for Bangladesh- write your arguments for or against the argument
11. Importance of Quality Education in Bangladesh
12. Development of IT in Bangladesh
13. Rural Development in Bangladesh

Science

I feel all the topics below are very important for you to practice, and I am not saying this because I am a student of science.

1. Nuclear Technology
2. The Internet
3. The gifts of science
4. The dangers of science
5. Greenhouse Effect/The ozone layer
6. A paper-less office
7. Some people think that development of IT will enhance human ingenuity. Others believe that development of IT will inhibit human ingenuity. Discuss both the points of view. Which view do you support? Give reasons for your choice.

Social/Environmental/Political Issues

1. Explain your views on the following:In some countries, television and radio programs are carefully censored for offensive language and behavior. In other countries there is little or no censorship. In your view, to what extent should the censor board or any other body be able to censor television or radio programs? Explain, giving relevant reasons and/or examples to support your position.
2. Drug Addiction
3. Mass Media
4. American People elected BUSH (replace with Obama) as their President. Do you think that Americans have chosen the right person?
5. Tsunami
6. When disaster strikes
7. Environmental Pollution
8. Ecological Imbalance

MBA related

1. Advertising 
2. Marketting 
3. Describe an Event where you have proved your managerial skills
4. Why I wish to pursue an MBA degree
5. Business Education
6. Aim in Life

Myself

1. A memorable day in your life
2. A thrilling experience of your life
3. My first day at college
4. My favourite Hobby
5. The night before an Examination
6. Memories of childhood
7. My favorite Author
8. An Ideal Leader
9. If I were a millionaire
10. My favourite TV show
11. My favourite Movie
12. Describe yourself in at least 100 words (this will come in handy when you face the viva board)

Other

1. Honesty
2. The value of discipline in life
3. Patriotism
4. The value of time
5. Dignity of labour
6. Physical Exercise
7. Newspaper Reading
8. Punctuality
9. Perseverence
10. Modesty
11. Hobbies
12. The usefulness of Games and Sports
13. Reading Habit
14. A Good Person
15. New Year
16. Patience
17. Mercy
18. Devotion

If you are short of time, at least google and have a quick look at the topics listed above. You will find ample essays and writings online. Or if you write to me and I happen to have free time, I just might write one or two essays of your choice for you :)

Let's start at the very beginning

How about I start from the very beginning. Let me tell you first that you should definitely, and definitely work in a professional environment for a couple of years and gain some experience before you join the program. In that way, you will be able to relate your learning to your real life experiences and things will make more sense. I had three years work experience before I joined the MBA program, but I now wish it was longer. Having said that, let me now begin with how you can prepare for the admission test.

You can always choose to collect the learning materials and study at home (a lot of my batch mates have actually done that), but I would suggest you to go for coaching because, if for nothing else, it will regulate you. You have a number of options here like Mentor's, Saifur's, and some of the others out there. I had gone for Mentor's, but let me tell you not to be taken by shock if you find one of your instructors from Mentor's studying with you in the very same batch if you make it. Bottom line: Don't expect too much from these institutions, especially when it comes to language, and eventually, it is up to you. For Math and Analytical sections they do provide you with useful tips and tricks. I believe a 2-month dedicated preparation is more than adequate, but if you want to prepare for a longer time that's great. There's no guarantee that you will not come down with dengue fever two months before the exam (that happened to me when I was submitting my Internship report). Additionally, for math and the analytical sections, the more you practice, the faster you will be able to complete these sections. How fast you can solve these problems is very important here. If you ever prepared for GMAT or GRE you'll know what I mean. For instance, the mathematical problems you'll be asked to solve will be relatively easy but you will have to solve each of these problems in less than a minute. Also, don't forget about negative marking, although they tend to change their policies regarding that from time to time. So make sure to update yourself on that as well. The following short passages have been written on request right before my exam by my very good friend Abdullah Al Aabed, now a lecturer at IUB, and one of the talented people I know.

Pohela Boishak

The Bengali New Year starts on the 14^th of April on the English calendar. On this day, Bengalis everywhere welcome the arrival of the New Year with a lot of hype and festivity. Bengalis living in Bangladesh are best able to observe the day in a befitting manner, as it is a public holiday. The day’s celebrations start early in the morning with groups of people getting together to enjoy poetry recitations and renditions of folk songs that mark the cultural heritage of the Bengalis. Dressed in traditional garb, it is customary for most people to follow this up with a traditional breakfast and subsequently roam the stalls of fairs that are held on this occasion throughout the day. Times have changed and Bengalis have evolved as a society, however, they have not forgotten to remind themselves of their heritage at the beginning of each year.

Traffic Congestion of Dhaka City

In recent times, the population explosion has been felt most strongly by urban areas of developing countries. Dhaka, the capital of the country, has been no exception. Lack of foresight and planning by the city fathers has led to narrow roads and lanes in a moderately new city like Dhaka. Upon their arrival in Dhaka, the only choice for the rural poor to earn a living has been to pull rickshaws through the already over-crowded by lanes of the city. On the main roads, increasing demand for public transport for the growing working class has caused a massive rise in the number of buses plying through the streets. Overall, the geometrically increasing number of vehicles running through the city’s roads is a challenge that the civil administration needs to address effectively. To that end, they have tried by introducing automated traffic lights and constructing flyovers to ease the congestion. So far, these measures have proved to be moderately effective. The search to reduce traffic congestion in the city continues.

Describe yourself in 100 words

Any attempt to use appropriate adjectives to depict oneself may be likened to constructing a balance sheet without liabilities. I consider my ability to get along with others as a major asset. Since I am personable, it helps me to accomplish the tasks on hand with a fair amount of ease. Growing up in a family of supportive and caring individuals, I recognize the importance of considering everyone’s opinion when taking major decisions. However, at the same time, having spent considerable time on my own during recent times, I value my independence and am able to take charge of situations should it be required. It would be fair to say that I consider myself, a versatile person who can adopt according to given circumstances.

Study the following words and establish the link: find out the theme, give a title and write a paragraph on the theme. you have to use all of the, following words in the paragraph, reason, leaves and flowers, diversity, songs, crops, season, enjoyment, weather, river, villages

Visit Bangladesh

I could list more than one reason why tourists should consider Bangladesh as a destination. While visiting Bangladesh they would be able to appreciate the distinctly different leaves and flowers that adorn the beautiful countryside. The diversity of wildlife in the Sunderbans is likely to amaze all who visit. A trip to any of the villages near a river of which Bangladesh has plenty of will also enhance the tourist’s experience and knowledge about the rural way of life. They will be able to see the crops being cultivated by farmers and also learn about different crops that are grown during each season. The folk songs of Bangladesh as sung by the indigenous tribes also should not be missed and would add to their enjoyment during their stay here. The pleasant mild weather of the country during the winter is the one tourists would enjoy the most. 

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My desktop monitor is not working, and my Eee PC doesn't come with a DVD drive, so I couldn't upload more materials. I will be back with more as soon as I get this fixed. In the meantime, please feel free to leave your comments below.