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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Bangladesh > Bengali

Bengali

A language of Bangladesh

ISO 639-3: ben

Population	110,000,000 in Bangladesh (2001 census). 250,000,000 including L2 speakers. Population total all countries: 181,272,900.
Region	West. Also in Canada, India, Malawi, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.
Language maps	Bangladesh Bangladesh
Alternate names	Banga-Bhasa, Bangala, Bangla
Dialects	Languages or dialects in the Bengali group according to Grierson: Central (Standard) Bengali, Western Bengali (Kharia Thar, Mal Paharia, Saraki), Southwestern Bengali, Northern Bengali (Koch, Siripuria), Rajbanshi, Bahe, Eastern Bengali (East Central, including Sylheti), Haijong, Southeastern Bengali (Chakma), Ganda, Vanga, Chittagonian (possible dialect of Southeastern Bengali).
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Eastern zone, Bengali-Assamese
Language use	Official language. All ages.
Language development	Taught in primary and secondary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1809–2000.
Writing system	Bengali script.
Comments	Muslim.

Also spoken in:

India

Language name	Bengali
Population	70,600,000 in India (1997).
Region	West Bengal; Jharkhand, Dhanbad, Manbhum, Singhbhum, Santal Parganas; Bihar; Assam, Goalpara District; Meghalaya, Garo Hills; Mizoram; Nagaland.
Alternate names	Bangala, Bangla, Bangla-Bhasa
Dialects	Barik, Bhatiari, Chirmar, Kachari-Bengali, Lohari-Malpaharia, Musselmani, Rajshahi, Samaria, Saraki, Siripuria (Kishanganjia).
Language use	State language of West Bengal.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 85%.
Comments	Muslim, Hindu, Christian.

Nepal

Language name	Bengali
Population	23,600 in Nepal (2001 census).
Region	Mechi zone, Jhapa District; Koshi zone, Morang and Sunsari districts; Sagarmatha zone, Saptari District.
Language map	Eastern Nepal, reference number 8
Alternate names	Bangala, Bangla, Bangla-Bhasa
Dialects	Barik, Bhatiari, Chirmar, Kachari-Bengali, Lohari-Malpaharia, Musselmani, Rajshahi, Samaria, Saraki, Siripuria.
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 51%.
Comments	Hindu, Christian.

Singapore

Language name	Bengali
Population	600 in Singapore (1985). Ethnic population: 14,000 in Singapore (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001).
Comments	Hindu, Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

ABU-MAHFOUZ, Ahmad, author. 2008. "Translation as a blending of cultures."  

KIM, Amy; KIM, Seung, authors. 2010. "The Santali cluster in Bangladesh: a sociolinguistic survey."