Religious & Ethnic Freedom in Bangladesh

The following resources detail the context, local perspectives, and capacity strengthening opportunities in Bangladesh as they relate to religious & ethnic freedom.

Context

Bangladesh, located in South Asia, is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a population of approximately 171 million people. The majority of the population is Bengali, while there are also smaller indigenous groups and non-Bengali Muslims. Sunni Muslims constitute the largest religious group, followed by Hindus, with Roman Catholics and Buddhists representing a smaller fraction.

The Constitution of Bangladesh ensures equal rights and non-discrimination in the practice of different religions, while officially recognizing Islam as the country’s religion. However, there are laws in place that restrict religious speech and expression, including provisions against insulting religious feelings and blasphemy. Personal status laws, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, are governed by religious laws based on an individual’s religious background.

Bangladesh is officially a secular state, but the term “secularism” carries different meanings and can be perceived as reflecting an anti-religious attitude. This perception can affect its acceptance by religious communities and individuals, and some Islamists exploit this understanding for their benefit. The country faces challenges related to violence and restrictions on religious freedom, including direct violence, Islamist extremism, mob violence, and social hostility. Attacks on religious minorities, missionaries, and Rohingya refugees have been reported.

There is a tendency to associate people from different religious backgrounds with neighboring countries. Hindus are often associated with India, and many Hindus maintain strong ties with family members living there. Muslims are sometimes associated with Pakistan, and Buddhists in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are associated with Myanmar. Christians are perceived as having close links with the West, which can influence attitudes towards them and their religious identity. Converting from one religion to another is a sensitive issue in Bangladesh, with social ostracization and suspicions often arising, leading to concerns about losing members to other religious groups.

The document on this page is an excerpt. For the full situational analysis (which analyzes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Philippines), please click here.

Local Perspectives

This brief provides program designers, implementers and evaluators in the Religious and Ethnic Freedom space with practical insights and examples of locally developed indicators aligned with the Grounded Accountability Model (GAM). It outlines the various ways representatives of local organizations and religious minorities perceive religious and ethnic freedom.

Capacity Strengthening Analysis

This brief aims to provide valuable insights into the institutional and staff capacity needs, strengths, and challenges faced by local partners in the context of promoting religious and ethnic freedoms in the Asia region.

 

For more resources on Asia Religious & Ethnic Freedom, click here.

This resource was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the sole responsibility of Search for Common Ground and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.