Bahá'í Religious Faith and Tradition in Bangladesh

by Muhammad Jahangir Alam

Abstract: In just over 150 years, the adherents to Bahai faith have grown from an obscure movement in the Middle East to a widespread independent world religious tradition. The global scope of Bahai faith is mirrored in the composition of its membership. Representing a cross-section of humanity, Bahais come from virtually every nation, ethnic group, culture, profession, and social and economic background. About six million followers of the faith reside in more than 100,000 localities around the world and represent more than 2,100 different ethnic groups. This essay reviews the history of how Bahai faith came to be accepted in eastern Bengal and provides a sketch of current distribution, organization and activities of Bahais in Bangladesh.