Bangla Date Converter (Bengali + Hijri)

How the Bengali Calendar Works

The Bengali calendar, known as বঙ্গাব্দ (Bongabdo), is a solar calendar used in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It has 12 months starting with বৈশাখ (Boishakh) on April 14 each year, marking the Bengali New Year or Pohela Boishakh. The first five months (Boishakh through Bhādro) have 31 days each, the next five months (Āshwin through Fālgun) have 30 days, and the last month Choitro has 30 days in a regular year or 31 in a leap year. The Bengali year is calculated by subtracting 593 from the Gregorian year if the date falls before April 14, or 594 from April 14 onward. This offset dates back to the Mughal emperor Akbar who reformed the calendar in 1584 CE to align tax collection with the harvest season.

Hijri Calendar in Bangladesh

The Hijri calendar (Islamic calendar) is a lunar calendar with 12 months of 29 or 30 days each. A Hijri year is approximately 354 days, making it about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. In Bangladesh, the Hijri calendar determines the dates of major Islamic observances including Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Shab-e-Barat, and Shab-e-Meraj. The months alternate between 30 and 29 days, with the 12th month (Dhul Hijjah) gaining an extra day in leap years. This converter uses the Tabular Islamic Calendar algorithm, which is accurate to within one or two days. Actual Hijri dates in Bangladesh are confirmed by the National Moon Sighting Committee based on physical observation of the crescent moon.

Important Dates and Holidays

Bangladesh observes holidays from all three calendar systems. Pohela Boishakh (1 Boishakh / April 14) is the biggest cultural celebration, with the Mongol Shobhajatra procession recognized by UNESCO. Key Hijri dates include Eid ul-Fitr (1 Shawwal), Eid ul-Adha (10 Dhul Hijjah), and Shab-e-Qadr during Ramadan. Gregorian holidays include International Mother Language Day (February 21), Independence Day (March 26), and Victory Day (December 16). This tool shows upcoming holidays relative to your selected date so you can plan ahead for both cultural and religious events throughout the year.

History of the Bengali Calendar

The Bengali calendar was originally based on the Hindu Surya Siddhanta astronomical text. In 1584, Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced the Tarikh-e-Elahi calendar to standardize tax collection across the empire. This reform aligned the solar Bengali calendar with the Islamic Hijri calendar that was 963 years ahead at the time, creating the offset still used today. In 1966, a committee led by Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah reformed the calendar for modern Bangladesh, fixing month lengths (31 days for the first five, 30 for the rest) and tying leap years to the Gregorian system. This standardized version was officially adopted by Bangladesh in 1987. Today, the Bengali calendar is used for cultural events, agricultural planning, and is printed alongside Gregorian and Hijri dates in most Bangladeshi newspapers and government documents.