page_title: Religion in Bangladesh
section_title: Buddhism
hierarchical_section_title: Religion in Bangladesh / Buddhism
caption_attribution_description: Somapura Mahavihara, Bangladesh.
context_page_description: Islam is the state religion of Bangladesh by article 2A of the constitution, however secularism is one of the four fundamental principles according to the original 1972 Constitution of "People Republic of Bangladesh". The constitution further states that "the State shall ensure equal status and equal right in the practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other religions". Bangladesh is one of the few secular Muslim-majority nation.
  As per 2011 census Muslims constitute over 90% of the population, while Hindus constitute 8.5% and remaining rest constitute 1%. A survey in late 2003 confirmed that religion is the first choice by a citizen for self-identification. The Constitution denominates Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism.
context_section_description: About 1,000,000 people in Bangladesh adhere to the Theravada school of Buddhism. Buddhists form about 0.6% of the population of Bangladesh.
  In antiquity, the region of present-day Bangladesh was a center of Buddhism in Asia. Buddhist civilisation, including philosophies and architecture, traveled to Tibet, Southeast Asia and Indonesia from Bengal. The Buddhist architecture of Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, including the Angkor Wat Temple and the Borobudur vihara, are believed to have been inspired by the ancient monasteries of Bangladesh such as the Somapura Mahavihara. Strange though it may now seem in such an overwhelmingly Muslim country, Buddhism has been no small player in the nation's history and culture.
  Most of the followers of Buddhism in Bangladesh live in the Chittagong division. Here, Buddhism is practised by the Bengali-speaking Baruas, who are almost exclusively Buddhist and are concentrated heavily in the Chittagong area as well as few of the Barua Buddhists live in other parts of Bangladesh, such as Comilla, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Sylhet districts. Most of the followers of Buddhism in Bangladesh live in southeastern region, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Chittagong and Comilla district. Most of the Buddhists of Chittagong Hill Tracts belong to the Chakma, Marma, Mru, Khumi, Bawm, Chak, Kuki, Murang, Tanchangya and Khiang tribes, who since time immemorial have practised Buddhism. Other tribal communities who practise animism, have come under some Buddhist influence. The beliefs and rituals of the Buddhist communities in this region are amalgamations of Buddhism and ancient animistic faiths. Buddha Purnima is the most widely observed festival among both Bengali Buddhists and Buddhist tribes.
caption: Somapura Mahavihara is a World Heritage Site at Naogaon
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