Culture is the Centre of a society and

without culture no society can even exist.

It is the main difference between human
beings and animals. It is a heritage
transmitted from one generation to
another. It includes all the ways and
behaviors is social life. Man is born in the
environment of culture, in which he seeks
his way of behaving and acting in a given
society.
Basic Elements of Culture
1. Language
2. Norms
3. Values
4. Beliefs
5. Cognitive Element
1. Language
Language is the entrance to the culture. It is like a vehicle through which we can carry
out our complex social activities. Language is the foundation of a culture and ticket to
the entrance of a social life.
2. Norms
Norms as elements of culture are the rules and the guidelines which specify the behavior
of an individual. It gives us restriction about something which to do and which not to do.
It molds our behavior and gives us knowledge about wrong and right.
3. Values
Anything getting importance in our daily life becomes our values. Culture varies from
society to society and thus values are different in every social situation.

4. Beliefs
Every sect within a culture having some beliefs for cultural refuge. These beliefs are
responsible for the spiritual fulfillment of needs and wants.
5. Cognitive Elements
Cognitive elements of culture are those though which an individual know how to cope
with an existing social situation. How to survive, how make shelter from storms and other
natural calamities, how to travel and transport etc. are the practical knowledge which
make a culture.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Bangladesh: A Repository of Cultural Diversity
Bangladesh is a storehouse of diverse culture. We laid down our lives for our mother
tongue in 1952, fought a war in 1971, when our homogeneous culture was
threatened by an alien power, who tried to impose its illogical wishes on our cultural
fabric. At the same time, we fought a war also to ward off attack on its diversity.

“Cultural diversity is based on the idea that cultural identities of each component of
a given population should get equal importance to give a diverse and colorful
cultural fabric to a nation.” In this context, Bangladesh will get the full credit for
giving the importance to all the community living in the society and they all are
given equal priority.

Geographically speaking, Bangladesh is divided in distinct cultural diversity areas.

The northern plains, its old capital of Mahasthan, had always been the gateway to
Bangladesh. The southern region and its old capital, Bagerhat, preserve unity in its
forests and jungles. The eastern region and its old capital, Chittagong, hosted the hill
people and their cultural uniqueness. While the central region and its old capital,
Sonargaon, served as the meeting point for traders and merchants coming from as
far East as China and as far West as Rome.
Bangladesh is a home to all four major religions and quite a few sects and faiths
within or outside those religions that are unique. Hence we see that from time
immemorial until such time as the British colonialists introduced the political weapon
of divide and rule, the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and many other
religious minorities lived in an enviable abode of peace and harmony.
In matters of sports and games, Bangladesh has indigenous and localized events that have
been popular through the length and breadth of this nation. Kabadi, ha-du-du,
dariyabandha, Gollachhut, Boat racing, Bullock Cart Racing, Kite Flying et al. have always
been favorite sporting past-time amongst the Bangladeshis. With the emergence to modern
time our young people have enthusiastically taken to diverse international games like
football, volleyball, basketball, hockey or cricket. Indeed, in cricket we are now a force to
reckon with. A great breakthrough has been made by our women in taking active part in
many of these sporting events and competing at the international levels.

Let us now move towards music. In this category, perhaps, diversity has come to a greater
extent both in form and content through the windows that we have opened up to world
culture from the day of our independence. It is not rare to be able to see rendition of a
variety of Indian Classical dance or listen to the sub-continental music. And these are
exceedingly popular amongst the Bangladeshi music and dance lovers. Add to it, the
infusion of modern or semi-classical western music like Jazz, Blues etc.
Our painters have always drawn inspiration from major international trends of
classical and modern art and freely used the forms in depicting the local content
that they have been inspired by.

Our works of literature have again assimilated diverse thoughts and philosophies in
expressing their own anguish or happiness. And these have been done through
various forms ranging from naturalism and realism to abstraction and even
absurdity. These influences come from indigenous sources as also beyond
boundaries.
TY
CONCLUSION……
Three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts have a cultural dimension. Bridging the gap
between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development.

Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic
growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and
spiritual life.

In December 2002, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and
declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.