Buddhism is the third-largest religious affiliation and formed about 0.63% of the population of Bangladesh. It is said that Buddha once in his life came to this region of East Bengal to spread his teachings and he was successful in converting the local people to Buddhism, specially in the Chittagong Division and later on Pala empire propagate and patronized Buddhist religion throughout the Bengal territory.
About 1 million people in Bangladesh adhere to the Theravada school of Buddhism, while a smaller portion are Mahayana Buddhists. Vajrayana Buddhism was once more prevalent in Bangladesh, but its following has now declined to almost none. Over 65% of the Buddhist population is concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, where it is the predominant faith of the Rakhine, Chakma, Marma, Tanchangya, Jumma people and the Barua. The remaining 35% are Bengali Buddhists. Buddhist communities are also present in the urban centers of Bangladesh, particularly Chittagong and Dhaka.
History
Legend said that Gautama Buddha came to the region to spread Buddhism, and it was speculated that one or two individuals became monks to follow in his footsteps. However, Buddhism did not gain much support until the reign of Ashoka when Buddhism gained a toehold. The Pala Empire that controlled the Indian subcontinent spread many Buddhist ideologies in modern Bangladesh and built many monasteries such as the Mahasthangarh and the Somapura Mahavihara. During the Pala Dynasty, a famous teacher named Atisha was born in the city of Bikrampur and spread Mahayana Buddhism.
Chandra Dynasty's Puranchandra and Subarnachandra adopted Buddhism, as did their successors Trailokyachandra and Srichandra who ruled Harikel and Chandradwip (Barisal).P. 22 European Trade and Colonial Conquest: Volume 1 The Khadga Dynasty was a Buddhist dynasty of kings that carried the surname Bhatt. They made several temples and monasteries. King Rajabhata was for example a very committed Mahayanist Buddhist.P. 261 Early Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism: The Mahayana Context of the Gau?apadiya By Richard King
Buddhism in various forms appears to have been prevalent at the time of the Turkic conquest in 1202. The invading armies found numerous monasteries, which they destroyed. With the destruction of centres of Buddhist learning, such as Nalanda University, Buddhism rapidly disintegrated. In subsequent centuries and up through the 1980s nearly all the remaining Buddhists lived in the region around Chittagong, which had not been entirely conquered until the time of the British Raj (1858–1947). During the 19th century, a revival movement developed that led to the development of two orders of Theravada monks, the Sangharaj Nikaya and the Mahasthabir Nikaya.
In the Chittagong Hills, Buddhist tribes formed the majority of the population, and their religion appeared to be a mixture of tribal beliefs and Buddhist doctrines. According to the 1981 census, there were approximately 538,000 Buddhists in Bangladesh, representing less than 1 percent of the population.
Demographic overview
+ Buddhism in Bangladesh by decades Year Percent Increase 1951 0.7% 1961 0.7% 0% 1974 0.6% -0.1% 1981 0.6% 0% 1991 0.6% 0% 2001 0.7% +0.1% 2011 0.6% -0.1% 2022 0.63% +0.03%
As of 2014, followers of Buddhism are mainly people of the Barua community living in Chittagong city, the business city of Bangladesh and indigenous Arakanese descent living in the sub-tropical Chittagong Hill Tracts. People who follow Buddhism in Bangladesh belong to the Barua people in majority with the percentage of 65% among the 0.07% population of Bangladesh, Chakma, Chak, Marma, Tanchangya and the Khyang, who had been since time immemorial have practiced Buddhism. Other tribes, notably those who practice Animism, have come under some Buddhist influence, and this is true in the case of the Khumi and the Mru, and to a lesser extent on the other tribes.
+ Buddhist population across Bangladesh Division Percentage (%) Buddhist population () Total population Barisal 4,911 9,100,104 Chittagong 969,630 33,202,357 Dhaka 20,335 44,215,759 Khulna 1,006 17,415,924 Rajshahi 1,123 20,353,116 Rangpur 3,091 17,610,955 Sylhet 1,105 11,034,952 Mymensingh 753 12,225,449
Geographical distribution According to 2022 census, there are 1,001,974 Buddhist in Bangladesh. Among them, 370,793 in Rangamati District, 256,600 in Khagrachhari District, 149,775 in Chattogram District, 142,057 in Bandarban District, 42,305 in Cox's Bazar District and 40,444 in other districts. So, Greater Chittagong is home to 95.97% Bangladeshi Buddhist.
Upazila District Percentage of BuddhismJuraichhari UpazilaRangamati Hill District 95.60%Naniarchar UpazilaRangamati Hill District 83.18%Belaichhari UpazilaRangamati Hill District 78.21%Lakshmichhari Upazila,Khagrachhari District 77.73%Barkal UpazilaRangamati Hill District 75.81%Bagaichhari UpazilaRangamati Hill District 67.99%Rowangchhari UpazilaBandarban District 67.58%Mahalchhari UpazilaKhagrachhari District 61.67%Rajasthali UpazilaRangamati Hill District 58.48%Kaukhali UpazilaRangamati Hill District 56.76%Dighinala UpazilaKhagrachhari District 54.54%Rangamati Sadar UpazilaRangamati Hill District 48.50%Panchhari UpazilaKhagrachhari District 47.25%Guimara UpazilaKhagrachhari District 46.74%Kaptai UpazilaRangamati Hill District 45.35%Thanchi UpazilaBandarban District 42.34%Khagrachhari Sadar UpazilaKhagrachhari District 38.50%Ruma UpazilaBandarban District 36.80%Bandarban Sadar UpazilaBandarban District 36.49%Alikadam UpazilaBandarban District 30.54%Langadu Upazila Rangamati Hill District23.74%Manikchhari UpazilaKhagrachhari District 21.50%Naikhongchhari UpazilaBandarban District 19.41%Lama UpazilaBandarban District 17.09%Ramgarh UpazilaKhagrachhari District 14.63%Raozan UpazilaChattogram District 6.71%Matiranga Upazila Khagrachhari District5.58%Ukhia Upazila Cox's Bazar District4.99%Rangunia UpazilaChattogram District 4.23%Ramu Upazila Cox's Bazar District2.95%Taltali Upazila Barguna District2.54%Lohagara UpazilaChattogram District 1.83%Chandanaish UpazilaChattogram District 1.81%Patiya UpazilaChattogram District 1.74%Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Cox's Bazar District1.70%Boalkhali UpazilaChattogram District 1.66%Fatikchhari UpazilaChattogram District 1.35%Teknaf Upazila Cox's Bazar District1.34%Mirsarai UpazilaChattogram District 1.24%Hathazari UpazilaChattogram District 1.13%Others <1%
Buddhist sites
Somapura Mahavihara in Naogaon, Rajshahi Division was built during the Pala-era and was part of a network of monasteries including Nalanda, Vikramashila and Jaggadala. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jagaddala Mahavihara in Naogaon, Rajshahi was an 11th-century Buddhist monastic establishment located in the historical Varendra region. Was probably active till at least the 12th century. Halud Vihara in Naogaon, Rajshahi Agrapuri Vihara in Naogaon, Rajshahi Vasu Vihara in Bogra, Rajshahi Sitakot Vihara in Nawabganj, Rangpur Division. Bhitagarh in Panchagarh District, Rangpur Division. Pandit Vihara in Chittagong Bikrampur Vihara in Bikrampur, Dhaka Division. Shalban Vihara in Cumilla Wari-Bateshwar ruins in Narsingdi, Dhaka Division. Nateshwar Deul, in Munshiganj, Dhaka Division
Culture
There are several active monasteries in the Chittagong, and in most Buddhist villages there is a school (kyong) where boys live and learn to read Bengali (national language) and some Pali (an ancient Buddhist scriptural language). It is common for men who have finished their schooling to return at regular intervals for periods of residence in the school. The local Buddhist shrine is often an important center of village life.
Buddhism outside the monastic retreats has absorbed and adapted indigenous popular creeds and beliefs of the regions to which it has spread. In most areas religious ritual focuses on the image of the Buddha, and the major festivals observed by Buddhists in Bangladesh commemorate the important events of his life. Although doctrinal Buddhism rejects the worship of gods and preserves the memory of the Buddha as an enlightened man, popular Buddhism contains a pantheon of gods and lesser deities headed by the Buddha.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs provides assistance for the maintenance of Buddhist places of worship and relics. The ancient monasteries at Paharpur (in Rajshahi Region) and Mainamati (in Cumilla Region), dating from the seventh to ninth century A.D., are considered unique for their size and setting and are maintained as state-protected monuments.
Persecution of Buddhists
List of massacres targeted at Buddhists minorities by Bengali nationalists, Awami League activists and communal mobs: 1971 Bangladesh genocide 2012 Ramu violence Riots against indigenous Buddhist minorities Persecution of Buddhists in Bangladesh
Prominent Bangladeshi Buddhists
Historical figures Atisa - 10th century Buddhist monk who played a prominent role in the spread of Buddhism to Tibet. Also an abbot at Vikramashila monastery. Chandragomin - 7th century Buddhist lay practitioner and poet from the Varendra region Traillokyachandra - 10th century King of the Chandra dynasty who converted to Vajrayana Buddhism Vanaratna (1384–1468 CE) who is considered the last Indian Buddhist Pandit in Tibet. Bhikkhus (monks)
Gyanashree Mahathero Karmayogi Kripasaran Mahathero Jyotipal Mahathero Rajguru Aggavamsa Mahathera Rajguru Priyo Ratana Mahathera Ven. U Pannya Jota Mahathera Prajnananda Mahathera Suddhananda Mahathero Bishuddhananda Mahathera Satya Priya Mahathero
Administration
Barrister Devasish Roy, Chakma Raja (Chakma Circle Chief) Bijoy Giri (15th Chakma Raja of Chakma Circle) Benita Roy (aristocrat, litterateur, diplomat, minister and Rani of Chakma Circle) Raja Nalinaksha Roy (49th Raja Of Chakma Circle) Mong Prue Sain (King of Mong Circle)
Freedom fighters UK Ching, Bir Bikram Braj Bihari Barua, freedom fighter
Politics
Dilip Barua (Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist–Leninist) (Barua)). Former Minister of Industries. Supradip Chakma, advisor to the Interim government of Bangladesh. Chakma was born in 1961 in what is now Khagrachhari District (then in East Pakistan). Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma Manabendra Narayan Larma Charu Bikash Chakma Kalparanjan Chakma Ma Mya Ching Aung Shwe Prue Chowdhury Sacing Prue Jerry Maa Ma Ching Marma Dipankar Talukdar
Arts and literature
Benimadhab Barua Kanak Chanpa Chakma, artist Bipradash Barua, author Partha Barua, singer, lead vocal and guitarist of Souls Band Subrata Barua Ratan Talukder, Actor and martial artist
Education Bikiran Prasad Barua Sukomal Barua Amit Chakma Aye Thein Rakhaine, Academic and Politician
Sports Debabrata Barua, cricket Sumon Barua, cricket Monika Chakma, football Rupna Chakma, football Anai Mogini, football Anuching Mogini, football Maria Manda, football Ritu Porna Chakma, football Suro Krishna Chakma, professional boxer Aungmraching Marma, football Champa Chakma, cricket Mitul Marma, football
See also Islam in Bangladesh Hinduism in Bangladesh Christianity in Bangladesh Early Buddhist Texts Early Buddhist schools Pāli Canon Mangala Sutta Metta Sutta Ratana Sutta Madhu Purnima Bengali Buddhists Barua (Bangladesh) Chakma people Marma people Rakhine people Jumma people Buddha Dhatu Jadi Kamalapur Dharmarajika Bauddha Vihara Barua Buddhist Institutes in India and Bangladesh Bangladesh Bauddha Kristi Prachar Sangha Chittagong Pali College Bangladesh Sanskrit and Pali Education Board
References