[This article was newly updated on July 12, 2024. The original post was written on December 1, 2006, and some information had become outdated and needed updating – Author]

Back in the 1980s, when Bengali typing began on computers, especially in the publishing industry, various organizations introduced different Bengali typing software as they saw fit. There was no coordination between them, nor did they use any standard method. As a result, text typed in one software could not be read or printed on another system. Over time, adopting a universal or standard method became highly necessary. Around that period, an international consortium called Unicode was working on establishing a standard for preserving languages from around the world on computers.

What is the Unicode Consortium?

The Unicode Consortium is a non-profit organization that ensures the development, maintenance, and expansion of the Unicode Standard. The organization works to encode the characters and symbols of various scripts and languages into a unified coding system, providing a universal standard for electronic communication worldwide.

The Roles and Functions of the Unicode Consortium:

1. Development of the Unicode Standard: The Unicode Consortium creates and enhances the Unicode Standard. This standard identifies characters and symbols from different languages with unique code points.
2. Standard Maintenance: The organization regularly updates the standard and incorporates new scripts and symbols to ensure Unicode remains modern and relevant.
3. Collaboration: The Unicode Consortium collaborates with various tech companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and individual members. Through these collaborations, they broaden the reach and acceptance of the standard.
4. Support and Resources: The organization provides developers, programmers, and users with training, documentation, and various other resources related to the Unicode Standard.

Membership of the Unicode Consortium:

Members of the Unicode Consortium typically include major tech companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, and so on. Additionally, various academic institutions and individuals may also be members. These members participate in the development and maintenance of the Unicode Standard and contribute their opinions through different committees and working groups.

Founding of the Unicode Consortium:

The Unicode Consortium was founded in 1991. Its main office is located in California. Since its establishment, the organization has played a vital role in global communication and information exchange.

The Unicode Consortium is a key institution in the field of information technology, bringing together the characters and symbols of the world’s languages into a single standard, enabling proper display on electronic devices and software.

What is Unicode?

Unicode is an international standard that represents all characters and symbols of various languages and scripts using specific numbers or code points. The main goal is to provide a uniform and universal encoding system for all written languages of the world so characters are displayed consistently across any platform, program, or device.

Key features of Unicode:

1. Support for Diverse Languages: Unicode includes characters from nearly all major languages and scripts such as Bengali, English, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, etc. This allows you to use multiple languages within the same document.
2. Single Standard: Ensures compatibility across different platforms and devices. The same Unicode code point will show the same character everywhere.
3. Symbols and Emoji: In addition to letters, Unicode also includes various symbols, mathematical signs, and emojis.
4. Storage and Transmission: Text storage and transmission become easy and reliable with Unicode. It can be used in various encoding formats such as UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32.

Applications of Unicode

Unicode is used in many areas, such as:

1. Websites: Unicode is used to display text in various languages correctly in web browsers.
2. Operating Systems: Operating systems like Windows, macOS, Linux, and others use the Unicode Standard.
3. Databases: Unicode allows for the storage of multilingual information in databases.
4. Text Editors: With Unicode-compatible text editors, you can easily write and edit text in multiple languages.

With Unicode, we can conveniently use and display text in different languages using a single coding method, making global communication and information exchange much simpler.

Bengali in Unicode

Unicode has brought unprecedented convenience for using Bengali on computers. Before this, although Bengali was used on computers since the 80s, it was limited to a handful of companies and they developed various fonts as they preferred. There was no common code. Unicode, for representing different languages, has created well-defined charts, and our beloved Bengali language is included within them. If we had all come together to create such a chart, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But unfortunately, this work was done by foreigners. Regardless, having a universal standard has greatly facilitated Bengali typing and display on computers. Nowadays, all software developed for Bengali typing supports Unicode, which makes it possible for us to use Bengali. Most Bengali users use Windows. All currently popular operating systems support Bengali. Microsoft uses a font called Vrinda, but you can use any Unicode Bengali font you prefer.

See more details about Unicode here.

Some Websites for Free Bengali Unicode Font Downloads

1. Omicron Lab: Offers various Bengali Unicode fonts and other Bangla typing tools https://www.omicronlab.com/bangla-fonts.html 
2. Free Bangla Font: A large collection of over 1000 Bengali fonts, many of which are Unicode fonts. https://www.freebanglafont.com/ 
3. Google’s Bengali Font Noto Sans:  https://fonts.google.com/noto/specimen/Noto+Sans+Bengali?query=bengali 
4. Lipighor: A vast repository with many free and open-source Bengali fonts available. https://lipighor.com/ 

How to Type Bengali in Unicode?

Although viewing Bengali in Unicode is not an issue, to write in Bengali you will need the help of external software or change settings on your computer or mobile device. Below, I will introduce you to some popular typing layouts.

Avro Keyboard: A Simple and Popular Solution for Bengali Typing

Avro Keyboard is a widely used and popular Bengali typing software, originally created by Mehdi Hasan Khan in 2003. Avro Keyboard is a very convenient and efficient tool or system for typing Bengali.

Features of Avro Keyboard

1. Phonetic Typing: The most important feature of Avro Keyboard is its phonetic typing method. With this, you can write Bengali words using English letters. For example, typing “ami banglay gan gai” will automatically convert to “আমি বাংলায় গান গাই”. This method is very easy and quick to learn for new users.

2. Inscript and Unijoy Layouts: In addition to phonetic typing, Avro Keyboard also supports Inscript and Unijoy layouts. These are particularly useful for professional Bengali typists.

3. Customization: Avro Keyboard provides various customization options. You can modify keyboard layouts and assign shortcut keys as you like.

4. Online and Offline Modes: Avro Keyboard can be used both online and offline. You can use it without an internet connection, allowing you to type Bengali at any time and anywhere.

5. Supports Windows, Mac, and Linux: Avro Keyboard is available for different operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. As an open-source software, users can easily download and use it.

Benefits of Avro Keyboard

• 1. Easy to Use: Avro Keyboard’s interface is very user-friendly, making it easy for new users.
• 2. Free Software: It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge. There are no license fees or subscription charges.
• 3. Supported on Both Computers and Mobile Devices: Avro Keyboard is available for both computers and mobile phones, providing added versatility for users.

Ridmik Keyboard: The Best Mobile App for Bengali Typing

Ridmik Keyboard is a popular Bengali keyboard app that has made typing in Bengali on mobile devices easy and seamless. It was founded in 2012 by Shamim Hasnat. Ridmik Keyboard is widely acclaimed for its user-friendly interface and effective features. More info: https://ridmik.com/ 

Features of Ridmik Keyboard

1. Phonetic Typing: The main feature of Ridmik Keyboard is its phonetic typing system. You can easily write Bengali words using English letters. For example, typing “ami banglay gan gai” will automatically convert to “আমি বাংলায় গান গাই”.

2. Inscript Layout: For those who type professionally in Bengali or prefer the Inscript layout, Ridmik Keyboard supports Inscript as well.

3. Predictive Text: Ridmik Keyboard comes with a predictive text feature that increases your typing speed by predicting and suggesting words as you type.

4. Themes and Customization: Ridmik Keyboard provides a variety of themes and customization options, allowing you to change the keyboard’s color and design as you wish.

5. Emoji and Stickers: The keyboard supports plenty of emojis and stickers, making your chatting experience more enjoyable.

6. Glide Typing: Ridmik Keyboard supports glide typing or swipe typing for faster input.

Built-in Keyboard Layouts

Both Windows and Mac operating systems come with built-in Bengali keyboard layouts that can be enabled through system settings.

• Windows: 1. Open Control Panel. 2. Go to Clock, Language, and Region. 3. Click Language. 4. Add Bangla language and select the keyboard layout.
• Mac: 1. Open System Preferences. 2. Click on Keyboard. 3. Go to the Input Sources tab. 4. Add Bangla as a language.

Google Input Tools

Google Input Tools is a powerful platform and system from Google that helps users type in multiple languages. With this tool, you can easily type in Bengali along with other languages. https://www.google.com/inputtools/try/

Features of Google Input Tools

1. Multilingual Support: Google Input Tools supports a wide range of world languages, allowing you to type in Bengali and many others.

2. Phonetic Typing: You can write Bengali using English letters via phonetic typing. For example, typing “ami banglay gan gai” will automatically convert to “আমি বাংলায় গান গাই”.

3. Onscreen Keyboard: Google Input Tools offers a virtual keyboard for direct typing on screen.

4. Autocorrection and Suggestions: It automatically corrects your typed words and suggests options, increasing typing speed and reducing errors.

5. Easy Switching: You can easily switch between languages, which is very convenient for multilingual work.

How to Use Google Input Tools

1. Web Version: You can directly type Bengali in your browser using Google Input Tools’ web version. This is very easy and requires no installation.

2. Chrome Extension: Google Input Tools is available as a Chrome extension. After installing it, you can easily type in various languages in your browser.

3. Desktop Version: A desktop version of Google Input Tools is also available, which allows you to type Bengali directly on your computer after installation.

Benefits of Google Input Tools

1. Easy to Use: It’s very simple to use and requires no special training.

2. Free Tool: Google Input Tools is free to use, so there are no extra costs.
3. High Performance: It’s highly effective in boosting typing speed and accuracy.
4. Multilingual Work: It’s an ideal tool for working in multiple languages.

Online Keyboards

There are many websites where you’ll find online Bengali keyboards that let you type directly in Bengali and then copy and paste the text where you need. Some such sites:

• https://www.easybengalityping.com/

Mobile Apps

To type in Bengali on your mobile phone, you can use Ridmik Keyboard or Google Keyboard. Additionally, with Google’s Gboard, you can type by speaking or using your voice.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.inputmethod.latin&hl=en_SG&pli=1 

How to Type Bengali Using Voice Input in Gboard

Gboard is a popular keyboard app developed by Google, featuring voice input support. You can easily use Gboard to provide voice input in Bengali. The steps to use Bengali voice input are described below:

Step 1: Install Gboard

1. Download and install the Gboard app from the Google Play Store.
2. After installing the app, open it and follow the setup instructions.

Step 2: Set Up the Language

1. Open the Gboard app.
2. Go to Settings > Languages.
3. Click the Add Keyboard option.
4. Select and install the Bengali language.

Step 3: Enable Voice Input

1. Go to Settings > Voice typing within Gboard.
2. Turn on the Use voice typing option.

Step 4: Use Bengali Voice Input

1. Open any app (such as a messaging app, Notepad, etc.) where you want to type in Bengali.
2. Look for the microphone icon on your keyboard. It’s usually beside the spacebar or on the top row.
3. Tap the microphone icon.
4. Now, speak in Bengali. Your speech will automatically be converted to Bengali text.

Tips:

• Speak Clearly: For accurate typing, speak clearly and slowly.

In Conclusion

This article introduced the universal standard Unicode for the Bengali language, as well as various Bengali typing methods in Unicode. Hopefully, you will no longer face difficulties typing in Bengali. If you know of any other methods or have feedback about this post, feel free to share them with us in the comments.