Buddhism in Bangladesh

Part of a series on
Theravāda Buddhism
Countries Bangladesh Cambodia China India Laos Myanmar Nepal Sri Lanka Thailand Vietnam Western world
Texts Pāli Tipiṭaka Paracanonical texts Commentaries Sub-commentaries Vimuttimagga Visuddhimagga Abhidhammavatara Abhidhammattha-sangaha Yogāvacara's manual
History Pre-sectarian Buddhism Early schools Sthaviras Buddhist councils Vibhajjavada Mahāvihāra Dipavamsa Mahavamsa Pali Text Society
Schools Buddhist modernism Vipassana movement Thai Forest Tradition Sri Lankan Forest Tradition Southern Esoteric Buddhism
Doctrine Abhidhamma Anattā Arhat Five precepts Jhana Kammaṭṭhāna Saṃsāra Nibbāna Meditation Middle Way Seven Aids to Awakening Mindfulness Noble Eightfold Path Four Divine Abodes Four Noble Truths Enlightenment Stages Precepts Three Jewels Vinaya
Key figures Moggaliputta-Tissa Mahinda Sanghamitta Tissa Buddhaghoṣa Buddhadatta Dhammapāla Parakramabahu I Sāriputta Thera Anawrahta Ram Khamhaeng Sumangala Thera Anagarika Dharmapala Mongkut Vajirananavarorasa Ledi Sayadaw U Nu U Nārada Mahasi Sayadaw U Ba Khin S. N. Goenka Mun Bhuridatta Ajahn Chah Maha Ghosananda Kripasaran Mahapragya Pragyananda K. Sri Dhammananda Narada Mahathera Asoka Weeraratna Walpola Rahula Jayatilleke Kalupahana U Dhammaloka Nyanatiloka Nanamoli Nyanaponika Bhikkhu Bodhi Ajahn Sumedho Ajahn Brahm Analayo Varanggana Vanavichayen Dhammananda Bhikkhuni Ayya Tathaaloka Ayya Khema Kee Nanayon Dipa Ma
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Buddhism is the third-largest religious affiliation and formed about 0.63% of the population of Bangladesh.^[1][2] 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.^[3] About 1 million people in Bangladesh adhere to the Theravada school of Buddhism.^[4] 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, other Jumma people and the Barua. The remaining 35% are Bengali Buddhists. Buddhist communities are present in the urban centers of Bangladesh, particularly Chittagong and Dhaka.