I am a mechanical engineering undergrad. My CGPA is around 3.15 (out of 4). I have a good research background with 4 conference papers and one journal paper( IF 4+) in material science. In remaining 6-7 months, maybe I can manage another journal paper. I have wasted my first 2.5 years in undergraduate school, and then have tried to come back. But the damage has been done. Now I want to do my PhD from a top university. For that I want to do my MS at first in a not-so-top university. Which universities are achievable my me? I am from Bangladesh and will try for fall 19. Oh, I think I can manage good GRE score, LORs. Thank you.

I don't know about US, in Europe all they look for is your research, they don't care about grades.

getting onto a Masters is not really too difficult. they want to fill the course and get the fees. Typically they state minimum entry requirement as 2.1 (this is a b average) and some accept a 2.2 ( I think this is a C average). I think with your GPA you would have the minimum. its just a matter of writing a clear and articulate personal statement, selling your passion and demonstrating your ability to complete the course, which you papers would seem to offer good proof of.

really they would accept your dog if they thought he would mange to complete the course. to them its matter of 'we want the fees, but we don't want to accept a bunch of people who fail the course'. so you just need to prove to them you can pass the course.

there are a rare few masters that are extremely popular in each field, and getting onto those is always a long shot without 1.1( A average), but it doesn't hurt to apply to these, if they are looking to make up numbers in any year, or if you really sell yourself, you still have a chance.