The Ethical Standard in Bangladesh: The Role of Religion

Religious education has been proliferated in Bangladesh at a large scale, but the matter of
attention is how ethical we are in our lifestyle. Religious rituals have been widened; the number
of religious educational institutions has incredibly been increasing. National and international
funding for the dissemination of religion-based institutions, customs, culture etc. is unbelievably
on the rise. Initiatives, attempts and enthusiasm have waved the general people to help them in
touch with religious communities, institutions and rituals.

Nevertheless, the ethical standard of Bangladesh is questionable and the rise of silent and vibrant
fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism in the guise of many frames and faces has warned the
conscious and sincere citizens about the state of religious soundness and harmony of the people
of our country. Whether religious liberalism or conservatism we assume, the basic matter of
concern is how much or how soundly we can understand what religion is, what the essence of
religion is, what religion demands to preserve and achieve.

Obviously, we should remember that religion starts historically to transform and reform the
personal, social, ethical, state and world state of affairs with great sympathy, consideration,
perseverance, temperament, industry and sublimity. It is religion which enhances ethics,
humanity, civility, peace, equity, courtesy etc. among mankind considering anthropological,
political, social, economic and other sorts of differences.

Religion demands unity, coherence, co-operation and co-existence among people in spite of
their cultural, ethnic, racial, political or other types of affiliations. We have no space to curb and
threaten cultural diversity and pluralism in the name of religious inclusion and cleansing. Rather,
it’s religion which teaches to show respect to other school of thoughts, opinions, religions on the
condition of their preserving ethics, civility, discipline, humanity and idealism.

The alarming prevalence of corruption, adulteration, deception, irresponsibility, irregularity etc.

in personal, social, economic and state level in Bangladesh has questioned the religious
soundness, ethical standard and idealistic stand of the people of our country at a large scale.

The re-consideration, re-judgment, re-analysis and re-experimentation of religious culture in our

country are essential in the face of incredible violation of ethical standard in the guise of various
factions though it is essential to remember that religious culture has considerable role in
preserving ethics, harmony, honesty, humanity etc. at a great scale in Bangladesh from distant
past.

Religion needs to be re-defined; re-thinking of religious culture is inevitable; religion on the

basis of ethics, humanity, co-operation, co-existence, sympathy etc. must be materialized. Sound,
good, beautiful and welfare-oriented religious culture must be implemented.