Religion in Bangladesh

Islam is the largest religion of Bangladesh; Muslims constitute 90 percent of the population. [ [http://www.banbeis.gov.bd/bd_pro.htm "BANBEIS"] ] . The remainder of the population follow Hinduism (9.2%), Buddhism and Christianity. There are also small populations of Sikhs, Bahá'ís, Animists and Ahmadis. Religion has always been a strong part of identity, but this has varied at different times. A survey in late 2003 confirmed that religion is the first choice by a citizen for self-identification; atheism is extremely rare. [ [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51616.htm Bangladesh ] ] A Pew Research Center report of 2002 found that 88% of the people in Bangladesh say religion plays a very important role in their lives. [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html#People] Pew Global Attitudes Project - Importance of Religion]

Islam

Muslims constitute 90 percent of the population. [ [http://www.bbs.gov.bd/dataindex/census/bang_atg.pdf] 2001 Bangladesh Census] . Most Muslims in Bangladesh are Sunnis, but there is a small Shia community. Most of those who are Shia reside in urban areas. Although these Shias are few in number, Shia observance commemorating the martyrdom of Ali's sons, Hasan and Husayn, is widely observed by the nation's Sunnis. [ [http://www.ourbangla.com/islam/bd/bd1.asp] OurBangla.com]

The Muslim community in the Bengal region developed independent of the dominant Islamic trends in India. The preservation of pre-Islamic cultural elements from Buddhist and Hindu periods made the commitment to Islam uniquely Bangladeshi. Features of Bangladeshi Hinduism, which differed in some respects from Hinduism in other parts of South Asia, influenced both the practices and the social structure of the Bangladeshi Muslim community. In spite of the general personal commitment to Islam by the Muslims of Bangladesh, observance of Islamic rituals and tenets varies according to social position, locale, and personal considerations. In rural regions, some beliefs and practices tend to incorporate elements that differ from and often conflict with orthodox Islam.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the second largest religious affiliation in Bangladesh, covering 9 to 10 of the population as of 2001 census [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3452.htm U.S Department of State: Census Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs] ] . In terms of population, Bangladesh is the third largest Hindu state of the world after India, Nepal.

In nature, Bangladeshi Hinduism closely resembles the forms and customs of Hinduism practised in the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal, with which Bangladesh (at one time known as East Bengal) was united until the partition of India in 1947.

Buddhism

About 0.7% (or just over 500,000 people) of Bangladesh population adheres to the Theravada school of Buddhism. Most of the practitioners are from the south-eastern district of Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Christianity

Christianity arrived in what is now Bangladesh during the late sixteenth to early seventeenth century AD, through the Portuguese traders and missionaries. Christians account for approximately 0.3% of the total population. The total Christian population is around 600,000 to 1 million Christians; Roman Catholicism is dominant, the rest being Orthodox and Protestant.

Law, religion, and religious freedom

Although initially Bangladesh opted for a secular nationalist ideology as embodied in its Constitution, the principle of secularism was subsequently replaced by a commitment to the Islamic way of life through a series of constitutional amendments and government proclamations between 1977 and 1988. The Constitution establishes Islam as the state religion but provides for the right to practice--subject to law, public order, and morality--the religion of one's choice. [ [http://www.pmo.gov.bd/constitution/part1.htm#2A.] Article 2A ] The Government generally respects this provision in practice; however, some members of the Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, and Ahmadiya communities experience discrimination. The Government (2001-2006) led by an alliance of four parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote and Bangladesh Jatiyo Party banned the Ahmadiya literatures by an executive order.

Family laws concerning marriage, divorce, and adoption differ depending on the religion of the person involved. There are no legal restrictions on marriage between members of different faiths.

References