Vestige from Our Colonial Past

[shuziburo]

Calling people Sir in our country is still a common practice. This almost certainly has its root in the colonial days when the British ruled us with an iron fist. Interestingly, UK has stopped this practice a long time ago. Even our neighboring India is no longer shackled by this. For those living in the West or who visited the West, you all know that this part of the world went in the other direction. Here you call everybody by first name, even if the person is older than your grandfather. Well, when in Rome, be like the Romans, but I have not liked either system. I always felt that there has to be a middle ground, somewhere.

I never liked the Sir business in Bangladesh and never called people Sir other than my direct teachers or direct supervisors. After I came back from India, completing my Bachelors, I joined RUET, called BIT, Rajshahi at the time. When I joined, a bunch of people from BUET joined in EEE with me. (It included a very good friend, although a year senior to me, Dr. Ashraful Haque.) The then Director of the newly formed BIT, Dr. Waliuzzaman wanted to bring in fresh blood. Thus, we came in. After joining, I found that all new hires were calling every senior colleague Sir! I refused. Except for the Director, and the three Department Heads, I called everybody else Bhai. People were looking at me funny for some time. Interestingly, this became the norm, at least for the new hires. I have no idea what the culture is at this time.

I had another sorta funny experience after returning from India in 1986. When I went to India after completing my H.S.C., one professor from BUET accompanied the group. He was going to one of the IIT's for his Ph.D. I called him ... Bhai. After returning to Bangladesh, I went to see him. He was very happy to see me. I kept calling him Bhai and he kept dropping hint that I should call him Sir. This went on for a while and he finally gave up. :)

I have many direct ex-students here in the US and back home. I insist that they call me Shuja Bhai or Kaisar Bhai or whatever. But, not sir. Most switch with no problem, but some took a while. [বাংলা]ঠোঁটে সার কথাটা আঠার মত লেগে থাকে মনে হয়।[/বাংলা]

That is my rant for now. Anyone had similar experience, opinion, expectations?

[Zunaid]

Sir, I beg to differ.

But seriously, I agree. In fact, I have successfully persuaded some my BUET students who moved to the US and with home I have a post-teacher-student relationship to just call me by first name. I don't care either way - whatever makes them comfortable.
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[Zeeshan]

I usually call 'Sir' sternly to maintain a formal atmosphere...kinda like the police or airport security who 'randomly' picks you out and calls you 'Sir'....

[Naimul_Hd]

If the person is known to me like my Uni teacher, my boss then i call him by their first name here (Aus). But for any unknown elderly people, i refer them as 'Sir'. So, answer to the question varies whom i am referring to.

In Bangladesh, to call someone elder 'Sir' is kind of a 'norm' (specially in Academic sector) whereas its a gesture of courtesy in other countries e.g Australia.

[Navo]

So, this culture of calling everyone 'sir' still persists in Bangladesh's brash corporate sector? haha

Do you think it's necessary in sectors where a strict hierarchy needs to be maintained - i.e. the army, air force and navy and the civil service (the other vestiges of our colonial past)? Or do you think such a hierarchy is unnecessary in such services as well?

In the judiciary such distinctions are used as a matter of course and I don't think it's such a hindrance. In England, you refer to a Magistrate as Sir/Madam, a Crown Court judge as Your Honour, Appellate Judges as My Lord/My Lady and so on and so forth. It's an antiquated system but just like wigs and gowns, it's a necessary theatrical device which gives such judicial figures an air of authority and a certain distance from the everyman.