Bangladesh is located in the easternmost periphery of the Indian Subcontinent . The people of Bangladesh can be proud of a civilization that dates back to almost two millennium . For centuries, the lush and fertile plains of Bengal have attracted traders , travelers and conquerors alike . The Bengali culture has assimilated the influences left by these contacts but at the same time has retained its distinctive features . Buddhism; Hinduism and Islam have also left their own signatures in the life and society and in the process have helped to make Bengal a tolerant and secular society with a liberal outlook. Bengal is also the home to almost 45 different ethnic tribes , each with their distinct language and culture .

Bangladesh carries a rich tradition of folklore and folk music , heavily influenced by mystic traditions , which in a large measure has given Bengal its characteristic of humanism and tolerance . The spread of modern education , the influence of the European Renaissance brought by the British , the literary excellence of Rabindranath Tagore , Kazi Nazrul Islam and others have deeply influenced the Bengalee society . There have been great social reformers like Rammohan Roy , Ishwar Chandra Gupta who have helped to modernize the society and its social customs . Begum Rokeya has pioneered education among conservative Muslim women .

During the Pakistani period , the struggle for a Bengali cultural identity began with the language movement of 1952 . The cultural struggle has always been an integral part of the national struggle .