Minority Ethnic Communities in Northern Ireland
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PEOPLE OF BANGLADESHI ORIGIN
BACKGROUND
Most people originating from Bangladesh are from the rural Sylhet District and are known as Bangladeshis, Bengalis or Sylhetis.
LANGUAGE
Bengali
This is the national language spoken by all Bangladeshis. It is written in the Devnagri alphabet but only the educated minority will be able to read Bengali.Sylheti
A dialect which is very different from standard Bengali. It has no written form. It is the common language of those people who originate from Sylhet which is in North-east Bangladesh.RELIGION
Almost all Bangladeshis are Muslims. See the separate section on Islam for further information.
DIET
The main staple diet is rice. Pulses, curries and fresh fruit also feature strongly in the Bangladeshi diet. Refer to the separate section on Islam for information about dietary restrictions for those people who practice the Muslim faith. A rice gruel is given to wean babies off milk.
DRESS
Traditionally, Bangladeshi women wear saris, using one end of the material as a veil. Men wear Western clothes when outdoors but will usually wear a lungi, which is like a loose cotton skirt, when at home.
LIFESTYLE, CUSTOMS AND SIGNIFICANT RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
It is not generally the custom for women to work and, therefore, some parents may be reluctant to allow their daughters to work when they leave school. Marriage tends to take place at an early age and so young females may stay at home and assist their mothers in domestic duties during the time between leaving school and getting married.
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