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 * Customs and Traditions** The customs and traditions of Bangladesh are varied and exciting. Some are rooted in its little-known pre-history and some have been carried through the ages by hundreds of tribes who came to the subcontinent from many parts of the old world. Many of these tribes with their cultural traits still thrive in the plains, forests and hills of Bangladesh. Their ancestors were either, the Negritos or, Proto-Australoids, Proto-Mongoloids or, Caucasoids. They were followed by the Aryans from West Asia. The ethnic composition of Bangladesh has largely been influenced by the fertility of a delta, which is washed by scores of large and small rivers, a hospitable climate, and wealth that has attracted settlers, conquerors, traders and fortune-seekers. Fertile lands and vast bodies of water have made agriculture and fishing the dominant occupations of the people. Rice, vegetables, and fish have therefore become their main foods.

Bangladesh is traditionally very high in its musical heritage. From the ancient times, music documented the lives of the people and was widely patronized by the rulers.Bangla music in ancient times was mostly linked to prayer. Due to the immense influence of Hindu mythology, most folk songs are related to some sort of praise of the gods and their creation. Songs were associated with particular groups of people, such as fishermen, cart-drivers, hermits and so on. Most songs were based on classical themes.


 * This is a picture of a man singing in a concert in Bangladesh.**

Religion and Languages Page 4