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.
Shares follow the most recent national population and housing census.
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.
The largest minority faith. Durga Puja is celebrated nationwide with thousands of community mandaps, and is a public holiday.
Concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and among the Barua community. Bengal was a centre of Buddhist learning under the Pala Empire.
Present since the Portuguese arrived in Bengal in the sixteenth century, with Catholic and Protestant communities and a long record in education and healthcare.
Includes Sikh, Baha’i, animist and traditional beliefs of indigenous peoples such as the Santal, Garo, Khasi, Marma and Chakma.
Religious, seasonal and national — the days the whole country stops for.
Bengali New Year — the Mangal Shobhajatra procession in Dhaka is on the UNESCO intangible heritage list.
14 AprilThe biggest festival of the year; millions travel home in the great Eid journey.
End of RamadanThe festival of sacrifice, with meat shared across neighbourhoods and families.
10 Dhul HijjahFive days of pandal-hopping, dhak drums and immersion processions.
Sep – OctEkushey February — also International Mother Language Day, declared by UNESCO.
21 FebruaryMarks the declaration of independence in 1971.
26 MarchMarks the victory of 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War.
16 DecemberBirth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, observed on the full moon.
Apr – MayObserved as a national public holiday.
25 DecemberHarvest festivals of new rice, date molasses and winter pitha.
Nov – JanFajr through Isha for any of the 64 districts, with a live countdown to the next prayer and the day’s sehri and iftar times.
Open the prayer page →Mosques, temples, monasteries and churches across the country, from the Sixty Dome Mosque to Somapura Mahavihara.
Open the travel guide →