Digital technologies have enabled development initiatives and public service messages to reach even the most remote communities. Yet one fundamental question remains, do the intended audiences actually understand these messages and grasp their meaning?

The purpose of communication extends far beyond merely delivering information. If people receive information but cannot comprehend it, communication has failed. Across both the public and private sectors, many messages remain difficult for grassroots communities to understand. Information reaches people, but meaning does not. Campaigns are carried out, yet the intended behavioural or social change often fails to materialise.

Around the world, the concept of ‘plain language’ has become a defining principle of effective communication. It is increasingly recognised as essential for public relations, public service delivery, and citizen engagement.

In 2010, the United States enacted the ‘Plain Writing Act’, requiring federal agencies to write public documents and communications in language that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. One of the law’s primary objectives is to ensure that people can understand information the first time they read it, making government services more accessible and easier to use.

The United Kingdom has similarly institutionalised ‘Plain English’ across government websites and digital services. The principle requires official information to be written in ways that enable people to find what they need, understand it quickly, and take appropriate action. It discourages unnecessary jargon, lengthy sentences, and overly technical terminology. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have adopted comparable approaches.

India has transformed its linguistic diversity into a communication asset. Public campaigns on health, agriculture, digital services, and financial literacy are increasingly delivered in regional languages and local dialects. As a result, these initiatives have not only expanded the reach of information but have also strengthened public participation.

The corporate sector recognised this reality long ago. Leading multinational companies no longer rely on simple translation. Instead, they tailor messages to local cultures, vocabulary, and social contexts, a practice widely known as ‘localization.’ People are more likely to trust brands that speak in their own language.

In Bangladesh, the government has made encouraging efforts to use relatively simpler language in public awareness campaigns. However, within the corporate sector, this has yet to become a strategic priority. Communications from financial institutions, healthcare providers, telecommunications firms, and digital platforms are often written in language that does not reflect the experiences or linguistic realities of ordinary people. As a result, communication becomes less effective, customer trust develops more slowly, and many potential users remain excluded from products and services simply because the message fails to resonate.

In the age of artificial intelligence, there is little technological justification for this limitation. A single message can now be adapted within minutes into different regional languages, dialects, or audience-specific versions. What is needed today is not merely better technology, but a shift in mindset. Communication should no longer be viewed as a one-way process of disseminating information. Instead, it should be designed around the realities, languages, and cultures of the people it seeks to serve.

The time has come to make a ‘Local Language Communication Strategy’ an integral part of both national and corporate communication. After all, the shortest path to reaching grassroots communities is not a highway, it is the language people speak every day.

When institutions understand the language of the people; people, in turn, come to see those institutions as their own.

The Writer is a PR Professional. He can be reached at [email protected]