Languages Spoken in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has one official language: Bengali (Bangla), spoken by ~98% of the population as a first language.

Other Languages

• English: Widely used in government, business, higher education, and urban areas (de facto co-official).
• Indigenous/Minority Languages: Chittagonian (Sylheti often grouped), Rohingya, Garo, Santali, Marma, Tripuri, Bawm, and ~40 others—mostly in Chittagong Hill Tracts and border regions.
• Urdu/Hindi: Spoken by Bihari (Stranded Pakistani) community and some migrants.
• Arabic: Religious study (Quranic).

Language Policy

Bengali is the sole medium of instruction in public schools. The 1952 Language Movement cemented its status. English remains essential for upward mobility.

While Bengali dominates, Bangladesh is linguistically diverse, especially in the hills.