Languages of Bangladesh
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| Languages of Bangladesh | |
|---|---|
| Official | Bengali |
| Regional | Sylheti, Chittagonian |
| Foreign | English (7%), Hindi or Urdu (2– 4%), French (.01%) |
| Signed | Bengali Sign Language |
| Keyboard layout | US international QWERTY  |
Although there are 38 different languages of Bangladesh,[1] Bengali is by far the most widely spoken language in the country – an estimated 98% of the population can speak it,[1] and it enjoys the status of official language and the lingua franca of the nation. Arabic text is widely used in education. English is also widely used, especially in urban areas.
Bengali and its dialects
Bangladesh is part of the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal, and the Bengali language is spoken by almost all people across the country. There are also some tongues closely akin to Bengali, which are classified either as dialects of Bengali or separate languages:
- Chittagonian is widely spoken in the entire Chittagong Division by more than 14 million people. Its influence has come from Arabic and Burmese languages.
- Sylheti is spoken in the Sylhet region by more than 7 million people.
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Others
- Hajong
- Khasi
- Koch
- Koda
- Marma
- Megam
- Meitei
- Mizo
- Mru
- Mundari
- Oraon Sadri
- Pangkhua
- Pnar
- Rakhine
- Rangpuri
- Riang
- Rohingya
- Santali
- Sauria Paharia
- Tangchangya
- Tippera
- Usoi
- War-Jaintia
Foreign languages
A variety of foreign languages are spoken and used in Bangladesh. English is widely spoken and understood, especially by people in urban areas. Students in urban areas acquire skills in various foreign languages. Languages such as Burmese, Assamese, and Farsi are also spoken and understood by some communities.