🕊️ Faith & festivals
Religions of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country whose constitution guarantees the right of every citizen
to practise their own faith. Eid, Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima and Christmas are all national
public holidays, and Pohela Boishakh belongs to everyone.
Population by religion
🌿 Others & indigenous beliefs
0.1%
Shares follow the most recent national population and housing census.
Each faith, and where to find it
☪️
Islam
ইসলাম
The faith of the large majority, mostly Sunni of the Hanafi school, with a strong Sufi tradition carried by saints such as Shah Jalal of Sylhet and Khan Jahan Ali of Bagerhat.
Notable places
- Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Dhaka
- Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal, Sylhet
- Sixty Dome Mosque, Bagerhat
- Star Mosque (Tara Masjid), Dhaka
Faith-specific observances
- Shab-e-Barat - the night of forgiveness, marked with prayer and halwa-roti
- Shab-e-Qadr - the Night of Power in the last ten days of Ramadan
- Eid-e-Miladunnabi - commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
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Hinduism
হিন্দু ধর্ম
The largest minority faith. Durga Puja is celebrated nationwide with thousands of community mandaps, and is a public holiday.
Notable places
- Dhakeshwari National Temple, Dhaka
- Kantajew Temple, Dinajpur
- Chandranath Temple, Sitakunda
- Ramna Kali Mandir, Dhaka
Faith-specific observances
- Saraswati Puja - the spring festival of the goddess of learning, popular in schools
- Kali Puja - held on the night of Diwali, with temples across Dhaka and Chattogram
- Rath Yatra - the chariot festival of Jagannath, held in Dhaka’s old town
☸️
Buddhism
বৌদ্ধ ধর্ম
Concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and among the Barua community. Bengal was a centre of Buddhist learning under the Pala Empire.
Notable places
- Somapura Mahavihara, Paharpur
- Buddha Dhatu Jadi, Bandarban
- Mainamati ruins, Cumilla
- Ramu Buddhist village, Cox’s Bazar
Faith-specific observances
- Prabarana Purnima - the "Fanush" lantern-flying festival marking the end of Buddhist Lent
- Madhu Purnima - the honey festival, offered in gratitude for the Buddha’s time in the forest
- Ashari Purnima - marking the start of Buddhist Lent (Rain Retreat)
✝️
Christianity
খ্রিস্ট ধর্ম
Present since the Portuguese arrived in Bengal in the sixteenth century, with Catholic and Protestant communities and a long record in education and healthcare.
Notable places
- Holy Rosary Church, Tejgaon (1677)
- St. Mary’s Cathedral, Dhaka
- Armenian Church, Armanitola
- Christian villages of Gazipur & Mymensingh
Faith-specific observances
- Good Friday and Easter Sunday - observed with services across the country’s churches
- Christmas Eve carol services, especially in Dhaka and Chattogram’s older parishes
- Harvest Thanksgiving services in Christian villages of Mymensingh and Gazipur
🌿
Others & indigenous beliefs
অন্যান্য
Includes Sikh, Baha’i, animist and traditional beliefs of indigenous peoples such as the Santal, Garo, Khasi, Marma and Chakma.
Notable places
- Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka
- Garo villages of Netrokona
- Khasi punjis of Sylhet
- Santal settlements of Rajshahi & Dinajpur
Faith-specific observances
- Wangala - the Garo post-harvest thanksgiving festival of Netrokona and Mymensingh
- Baisabi - the joint Chakma, Marma and Tripura new-year water festival of the Hill Tracts
- Guru Nanak Jayanti - observed by the Sikh community at Dhaka’s gurdwara
The festival calendar
Religious, seasonal and national - the days the whole country stops for.
🎉
Pohela Boishakh
পহেলা বৈশাখ
Bengali New Year - the Mangal Shobhajatra procession in Dhaka is on the UNESCO intangible heritage list.
14 April
🌙
Eid-ul-Fitr
ঈদুল ফিতর
The biggest festival of the year; millions travel home in the great Eid journey.
End of Ramadan
🐄
Eid-ul-Adha
ঈদুল আজহা
The festival of sacrifice, with meat shared across neighbourhoods and families.
10 Dhul Hijjah
🪔
Durga Puja
দুর্গা পূজা
Five days of pandal-hopping, dhak drums and immersion processions.
Sep – Oct
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Language Martyrs’ Day
শহীদ দিবস
Ekushey February - also International Mother Language Day, declared by UNESCO.
21 February
🇧🇩
Independence Day
স্বাধীনতা দিবস
Marks the declaration of independence in 1971.
26 March
🏅
Victory Day
বিজয় দিবস
Marks the victory of 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War.
16 December
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Buddha Purnima
বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা
Birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, observed on the full moon.
Apr – May
🎄
Christmas (Boro Din)
বড়দিন
Observed as a national public holiday.
25 December
🍚
Nabanna & Poush Parbon
নবান্ন
Harvest festivals of new rice, date molasses and winter pitha.
Nov – Jan