Scholars and community leaders in Bangladesh are urging a stronger practice of public sociology so that university research helps solve real problems in everyday life. Public sociology means sharing clear findings in plain language, working with local groups, and offering facts that reporters, policy makers and citizens can use. When researchers step outside closed journals and join public meetings or write short briefs, their work can improve projects on housing, urban planning, migration, worker safety, and climate risks. Many people face difficult choices in their towns and neighbourhoods, but academic studies often stay inside campus walls and use hard words that most people do not read. Public sociology asks scholars to make research easier to understand, to listen to community experiences, and to test ideas in real places so evidence meets the needs of people who live there. This approach helps activists and civil groups plan stronger campaigns because they can use data to show what works and why. It also helps the media tell fuller stories that explain causes and possible solutions rather than only reporting anger or a single event. Universities can support public sociology by valuing community work when they hire and promote staff, by offering small funds for public projects, and by teaching students how to write for wider audiences. Simple steps such as short policy notes, plain-language summaries, public talks, and joint field projects with local groups make research more useful and build trust. Work that links students and teachers with community groups gives students hands-on learning that prepares them for jobs and civic work, while community partners gain access to evidence and tools for problem solving. Public sociology does not mean abandoning rigour. Careful methods and respect for ethics must stay central so that findings are reliable and people are treated fairly. It also calls for stronger platforms where scholars, activists and officials can meet, share ideas, and plan research that is practical in the short term and thoughtful over the long term. When scholars explain how social forces shape who is most harmed by floods, pollution, or job losses, policy makers can design actions that reach the people who need help most. Young people and community leaders are ready for this kind of partnership, and small pilots already show how research and action can work together. If universities, funders, journalists and civil groups make space for public sociology, research can become a practical tool that lifts local voices, guides fair policies and helps communities solve problems together. With steady effort, public sociology can lift voices and improve policies now locally. This shift will strengthen democratic discussion, reduce misinformation, and make public debate kinder, smarter and more useful for citizens everywhere and future generations.
