Culture and Custom:

The way of life of Bangladesh is an amalgamation of the cultures of the numerous social groups
living in the country. The people of Bangladesh’s way of lifestyles make up the culture of
Bangladesh. The country has a various culture that has developed over time with influences from
various social groups. Bangladesh’s main religions, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, have
played a major role in influencing the country’s culture. Development of the Bengali culture
proliferated in the 19th century and part of the 20th century during the Bengal Renaissance, with
renowned Bengali writers, scientists, filmmakers, musicians, artists, and researchers playing a
critical role. This culture manifests in the nation’s dance, music, literature, architecture, and even
clothing. (Kiprop, 2018)

 The official language is Bangla, also known as Bengali. Bangla is the first language of
more than 98 percent of the population, but English has also had an influence on Bangla.
In the business setting, most Bangladeshis are able to speak English. (Country, n.d.)
 The most widespread religion in Bangladesh is Islam, which constitutes 87% of the
citizens of the nation. Buddhism and Hinduism are also popular religions. A tiny part of
Bangladesh’s population includes Christians and Sikhs, with others being atheists. The
four religious national holidays are Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Buddha Purnima, and Durga
Puja (Kiprop, 2018).
 Bangladesh is a country of festivals and celebrations. These events include Eid ul-Adha,
Chand Raat, and Eid ul-Fitr from Islam as well as Janmashtami and Durga Puja from
Hinduism. Other festivals in Bangladesh include the Christian Christmas and Buddha
Purnima from the Buddhist religion (Kiprop, 2018). On this big festival season people are
purchasing new things for them also for decorating their houses, because on this festive
season Bangladeshi people are getting bonuses and many companies are giving very
attractive discounts. • The people of Bangladesh also celebrate national holidays like
Independence Day and Language Movement Day. On this days many company are
offering many discounts. Traditional Weading is also a celebration for Bangladeshis’.
There is tradition to gifting furniture and household stuff as a wedding gift so that our
company that is basically a furniture company which have a great opportunity to do their
business in Bangladesh.
 The traditional greeting for Muslims is Asalamu alaikum to which the response is wa
alaikum salam. The traditional greeting for Muslims is Asalamu alaikum to which the
response is wa alaikum salam. Formal introductions between the genders outside of the
family will only really happen within the business context. If you are meeting with a
member of the opposite sex, then wait to see if they will offer you their hand before
venturing to offer your own. If they don’t offer you their hand, then consider placing your
right hand over your heart and giving a slight nod of your head. This is a perfectly
 acceptable way to meet and greet within Bangladesh and is also a common practice
across other Muslim majority countries. (Country, n.d.)
 Bangladesh’s cuisine is renowned for having a distinctive culinary tradition. The nation’s
staple food is rice served with various food items such as vegetables, fish, meat, eggs,
curries, and thick lentil soups. (Discover and Expore Bangladesh | By Bangladesh.com |
Culture in Bangladesh, n.d.)
 The traditional music of Bangladesh is very much the same as that of the Indian sub-
continent. The music in Bangladesh can be divided into three main categories: classical,
modern and folk. (Discover and Expore Bangladesh | By Bangladesh.com | Culture in
Bangladesh, n.d.)
 Tribal dances are very popular among the Bangalees. The countryside girls are in the
habit of dancing to popular folk music. Popular songs like Shari and Jari are presented
with the accompanying dance of both male and female performers. (Discover and Expore
Bangladesh | By Bangladesh.com | Culture in Bangladesh, n.d.)
 Bangladeshi men’s casual wear in rural areas is the ‘lungi’ with formal clothing being
suits or shirts and trousers. On cultural and religious occasions, men have traditional wear
called ‘Panjabi’. In women, the traditional and main dress is the ‘Shari’, with young
females also wearing ‘salwar kameez’. (Culture of Bangladesh - history, people,
clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, n.d.)
 Bangladeshis are quite implicit/indirect communicators. They tend to communicate in
long, rich and contextualized sentences which only make sense when properly understood
in relation to body language. Personal space is less of an issue in Bangladesh than many
European cultures. Bengalis stand close when speaking to someone of the same gender
and touch is common. However, if you are speaking to someone of the opposite sex, then
it’s important to increase the personal space and to avoid prolonged eye contact.
(Country, n.d.)

Effective cross-cultural communication has become essential nowadays. Knowing a

foreign culture is a long-term process of assimilation, comprehension and integration and
is undoubtedly the key to successful business expansion globally. Each culture has a
different social structure. So, before coming into Bangladesh for operating their business
IKEA must have to consider the culture and customs related factor.

References
Country. (n.d.). Bangladesh - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved from Commisceo-
global.com: https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/bangladesh-guide

Culture of Bangladesh - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family. (n.d.).
Retrieved from Everyculture.com: https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Bangladesh.html
Discover and Expore Bangladesh | By Bangladesh.com | Culture in Bangladesh. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Bangladesh.com: https://www.bangladesh.com/culture/

Kiprop, J. (2018, April 25). The Culture and Customs Of Bangladesh. Retrieved from WorldAtlas:
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/important-aspects-of-the-culture-of-bangladesh.html