Culture

Dress

The sari or shari (a very long strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from 4 to 9 metres in length, which can be draped in various styles) is by far the most widely worn dress by Bangladeshi women. However, the salwar kameez (shaloar kamiz) is also quite popular. Salwars are loose pyjama-like trousers; the legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic; the side seams (known as the chaak) are left open below the waist-line, which gives the wearer greater freedom of movement. In urban areas, some women wear Western attire.

Bangladeshi men wear panjabi (a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees) on religious and cultural occasions, lungi (a kind of long skirt) as casual wear and shirt-pant on formal occasions. Men also use the kurta-paejama combination, often on religious occasions. Among men, European dressing has greater acceptance.

Drama

Drama remains popular in Bangladesh, including performances of plays by local playwrights, as well as adaptations from writers of Western origin. Jatra, that is, folk drama, is also a part of culture of Bangladesh. In Jatras, legendary plays of heroism, mythological stories, folktales of love and tragedy, and similar countless themes are enacted in open air theatre, and continue to be a popular form of entertainment.

Music and Dance

Music and dance style of Bangladesh may be divided into three categories, namely, the classical, folk and the modern. The classical style has been influenced by other prevalent classical forms of music and dances of the Indian subcontinent. The folk and tribal music and dance forms of Bangladesh are of indigenous origin and rooted to the soil of Bangladesh. Several dancing styles in vogue in the north-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, like Monipuri and Santal dances, are also practiced in Bangladesh, but Bangladesh has developed its own distinct dancing styles.

Bangladesh has a rich tradition of folk songs, with lyrics rooted into vibrant tradition and spirituality, mysticism and devotion. Such folk songs also revolve round several other themes, including love themes.

Several musical instruments, some of them of indigenous origin, are used in Bangladesh, and major musical instruments used are bamboo flute (banshi), drums (dole), a single stringed instrument named ektara, a four stringed instruemment called dotara, a pair of metal bawls used for rhythm effect called mandira. Currently, several musical instruments of western origin such as the guitar, drums, and saxophone are also used, sometimes alongside the traditional instruments.

Arts and Crafts

Several artists originated from Bangladesh have gained world-wide familiarity for their artistic contributions. The works of painters like Zainul Abedin, SM Sultan, Quamrul Hassan, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Ronobi and Hashem Khan symbolises the culture of the country.

Handicrafts and cottage industries play a vital role in sustaining the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. The prominent handicrafts in the early and Middle Ages were textiles, metal works, jewellery, wood works, cane and bamboo works, and clay and pottery. Later, jute and leather became the major raw materials for handicrafts. The most predominant features of Bangladeshi handicrafts are the extensive use of individual skill and the interesting design motifs.

Nakshi Kantha (embroidered quilt), is a very popular form of handicraft, said to be indigenous to Bangladesh. Although kanthas (quilts) are utilitarian objects, the vivid patterns, borders and motifs often turn them into attractive works of art. In recent years the interest in ethnic arts and crafts has encouraged a kantha revival in the country. Many people now use these quilts for decorative purposes only.

Sports

The most popular sports in Bangladesh are football (soccer), cricket and kabaddi. Kabaddi is a 7-a-side team-sport played without a ball or any other equipment and is the national sport of Bangladesh.

Cricket has a massive and passionate following in Bangladesh; the national cricket team goes by the nick-name of the Tigers - after the Royal Bengal Tiger. In 2000, the Bangladesh cricket team was granted Test cricket status and joined the elite league of national teams permitted by the International Cricket Council to play test matches.