The Buddhist Community of Bangladesh – A Brief Survey:

The mid-19th Century was a turning point in the religious history of the Buddhists of Chittagong which in fact was the home of Buddhism in the then Bengal and undivided India. In that very dark age, the Buddhists were steeped in deep superstitions. The Sangharaj of neighboring Arakan most Venerable Saramedha Mahathero came on a chance to visit Chittagong in 1856. He was shocked to see the condition of Buddhism with Tantric rituals and worship of false gods and goddesses. The Sangharaja Sramedha again visited Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts in 1864 and took upon himself the task of reforming the prevailing Buddhism in accordance with Dhamma and Binaya of the Tripitaka. He faced a tough time but he succeeded in having the support of Rani Kalaindi, the ruler of the Chakma dynasty of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and some leading figures in Chittagong during his Theravada reformation movement. Beside the Bangalee Buddhists in the plains of the Chittagong district, a large number of Buddhists in the hilliy regions of the Chittagong Hill Tracts are mainly Chakma, believed to be of Tibetan-Thai origin having emigrated here from a place called Champak nagar (city). Another group of Buddhists are the Bomangs who are settlers of neighbouring Arakan several hundred years ago. All these three groups bound together by common bond of Theravada Buddhism were inspired by the reformation of Sangaraj Saramedha in the mid-19th Century, particularly with patronage and impetus from Chakma Rani Kalaindi Devi who had harbored the reformist Sangharaj for a long time. The lamp of Saddhamma was enkindled by the Theravada religious reformation movement launched by Sangharaj Saramedha. Monks and laity were inspired by his illuminating discourses and finally discarded Tantric practices and a lot of other superstitions alien to Buddhism. Monks were given fresh ordination on attaining the age of 20 and initiated into the Theravada monastic disciplines laid down in the Binaya. The reformation movement electrified the entire Buddhist community. As a result, more than 95 per cent of total number of Buddhist monks in Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts and other Buddhist-populated regions came under the fold of the newly reformed Theravada Buddhist Sangha.
The Buddhist community during the days of British rule sought to assert social,
religious and cultural existence. One important event was the holding of a big
Buddhist Conference in 1938 in Hoara para (suburb) village of Chittagong on the occasion of birth anniversary of Most Venerable Aggasara Mahathero who was an eminent religious personality. During the British rule the Buddhists called for a separate identity for themselves as a religious community. Two Buddhist leaders – Dr. Arbinda Barua, Barister-at-Law and Rai Bahadur Dhirendra Lal Barua were nominated members of Bengal Legislative Assembly in Calcutta in the Forties to represent the cause of the Buddhists. In 1947 at the time of independence from the British rule, the Indian Sub-continent was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Buddhist populated regions like Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts were included in Pakistan. The Buddhists identified themselves with the new State. A well known Buddhist leader and lawyer late Phani Bhusan Barua who was also the President of the then Pakistan Buddhist Association was nominated as member of the Advisory Committee of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly for framing the National Constitution. Later in 1954 an educationist late Mr. Sudhangsu Bimal Barua was elected as member of the then East Pakistan Legislative Assembly. From the Chittagong Hill Tracts Raja Tridiv Roy, the then Chakma Chief of the Chittagong Hill Tracts was also elected as member of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Maung Shwe Prue Chowdhury, Bomang Chief of the Hill Tracts was elected as member of the Legislative Assembly and later became a Cabinet Minister. During the Pakistan period an organisation name as East Pakistan Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha was founded in 1949/50 which later was turned into all Pakistan organisation. Most Venerable Visuddhananda Mahathero has been President since 1950 till now of the Sangha, now named Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha.
During the Pakistan period the first Buddhist Monastery in the capital city was
established in Dhaka for which the government had made a gift of five acres of
plot of land for the entire Buddhist community. A very dynamic and talented
social worker with sharp intellect, Deva Priya Barua, popularly known as D.P.
Barua infused a new direction in the Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha of which he was the Secretary General for 16 consecutive years from 1961 to 1977 while Most Venerable Visuddhananda Mahathero and later Most Venerable Joytipal Mahathero had been the President. During the Sixties D.P. Barua made outstanding contribution in the emergence of the Sangha with its national and international identity as well as socio-cultural activities of the Buddhist community including establishment of the Monastery in Dhaka known as Dhammarajika Bihar. Two other temples in the capital city recently established are International Buddhist Monastery founded by the Most Venerable Santapada Mahathero, former President of ABCP and Secretary General of Sangharaj Bhikkhu Sangha and »Sakyamuni Bihar« established by the Buddhists of Chittagong Hill Tracts living in Dhaka.
During the war of liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, Ven. Joytipal Mahathero together with Ven. Santapada Mahathero and some others made significant contribution in mobilizing world opinion in favor of Bangladesh struggle for independence in a crucial phase of our national existence. Ven. Joytipal visited Sri Lanka, Thailand and Japan in August 1971 to mobilise Buddhist public opinion in favor of Bangladesh struggle.
Buddhist organizations of Bangladesh have maintained link with international
fraternity of Buddhists. Those affiliated with the World Fellowship of Buddhists are, Bangladesh Buddhist Association with headquarters at Chittagong Monastery, Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha with head office in the Dhammarajika Bihar and a youth organization, Bangladesh Bouddha Juva Parishad, the Youngmen's Buddhist Association. A new organization named Bangladesh Buddhist Federation has come into being in recent times. In 1975 the National Center of the Asian Buddhist Conference for peace was established in Bangladesh. That year Ven. Jyotipal Mahathero and Mr. D.P Barua were invited to attend the Executive Council meeting of the ABCP held in Moscow.
This was followed by their visit to the ABCP headquaters in Ulan Bator,
Mongolia. The outcome of the visit led to the founding of the ABCP National
center in Bangladesh as a broad-based forum of Buddhists working for peace and harmony based on the teachings of Buddha. In 1980/81 Most Venerable Jyotipal spent nearly a year in Bipasana meditation in Buddha Gaya and on his return to Bangladesh, he decided to concentrate solely in meditation and Dhamma by relinquishing himself from activities of organizational responsibilities. Mr. D.P. Barua, Secretary General with his deep commitment as well as dynamism in organizational work carried on for sometime as acting Head of ABCP National Center under directive from the ABCP Headquarters, Ulan Bator and played crucial role in revitalizing the National Center. Most Venerable Santapada Mahathero, Vice-President of the ABCP National Center and Secretary General of the Bangladesh Supreme Sangha Council for 20 consecutive years who enjoyed pre-eminent position in the Buddhist community was unanimously elected President of the ABCP National Center in early 1981. He worked relentlessly for the cause till death cut short his life in 1987.
The Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhists and the most respected Sangaraja of
Bangladesh, most Venerable Shilankar Mahathero was elected as the President of the ABCP National Center. Today the large number of monks and laity under his leadership have been working for the Dhamma and peace in Bangladesh. The Buddhist community today is making endeavors to forge ahead in their religious, social and cultural activities. At the head of the religious fraternity is the Eighth Sangharaj, the Most Venerable Sangharaj Shilankar Mahathero who resides in the monastic headquarters at Shantidham Bihar.