Religion in Bangladesh | Perfectly Described (2020 Update)

Last Updated on February 21, 2020 by Aminul Haque Shahin

Bangladesh is a land with immense beauty. The country is considered a gem among the lands bordering with the Indian Ocean. Besides being a natural beauty, the country is a land with vibrant communities. People of all creeds and cultures live in harmony in this country.

The country has followers of all the majors in the world, as well as factions of minor religions. The country was liberated on the basis of secularism. For this reason, the country harbors people of kinds regardless of their religious affiliation.

Bangladesh’s Constitution recognizes the secular and democratic status of the country. Islam is the largest religion of the nation. The status of Islam being the national religion was once removed from the Constitution.

However, the status was later reinstated. Besides Islamic followers, there are followers of Hinduism, Christianity and Buddhism religion, and other minority religions.

Religion in Bangladesh (2011 Consensus)

• Islam (90.39%)
• Hinduism (8.54%)
• Buddhism (0.60%)
• Christianity (0.37%)
• Others (0.14%)

The following section of the article contains brief description of each of these religions:

Islam

Islam claims the largest followers of a religion in the country. 90% of Bangladeshis follow Islam. The Muslim population of Bangladesh is about 146 million. And, the population makes up the 90% of the overall population in the country.

With 146 million Muslims, Bangladesh is the fourth largest Muslim populated country in the world. Muslims in Bangladesh belong the biggest community. They form the majority of population in the country. Islamic Followers form the largest segments in all eight divisions in the country.

Bengali Muslims make up the majority faction in Muslim population in the country. The percentage of Bengali Muslims is at 88. The rest 2% are Bihari and Assamese Muslims. The Sunni sect makes up the majority of Muslims in Bangladesh.

There are also Shia and Ahmadiyya Muslim Communities in the country. Most of the Shia Muslims reside in urban areas.

Quick Facts on Islam in Bangladesh

• The largest religion by followers in Bangladesh
• 90% of the population in Bangladesh are Muslims
• Over 146 million Bangladeshis are Muslim
• Most Muslims in Bangladesh are Sunni
• Muslims in Bangladesh celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Milad un Nabi, Shab-e-Barat, Chand Raat

Hinduism

Hinduism is the second largest religion in the country. Over 14 million Bangladeshis identify themselves as Hindus. Hindus make up about 8.5% of the total population. The Hindu population in Bangladesh is the third largest in the world.

Quick Facts on Hinduism in Bangladesh

• Hindus is the second largest religion in the country
• Over 8.5% of Bangladeshis are Hindus
• The Hindus of Bangladesh are mainly Bengali Hindus
• Bangladeshi Hindus closely follow the tradition and tenets of West Bengal Hindus
• Hindus in Bangladesh celebrate Durga Puja, Rath Yatra, and Janmashtami

Buddhism

Buddhists in Bangladesh are the Threravada section of Buddhists. Buddhists in Bangladesh form about 0.6% of population in the country. The region of the present-day Bangladesh was once a center of Buddhism in Asia.

Quick Facts on Buddhism in Bangladesh

• Buddhists make up the 0.6% of the country’s population
• Buddhism is mainly practiced by the Buaruas of the religion

Christianity

Christians make up the 0.4% of the country’s population. Christianity arrived in the Bengal region through the Portuguese traders, and missionaries. The Bengali Christians are the Roman Catholic predominately.

Quick Facts on Christianity in Bangladesh

• Christians form the 0.4% of the population in Bangladesh