Their founder, Guru Nanak visited a number of places in Bengal in the early sixteenth century where he introduced Sikhism to locals and founded numerous establishments.

Sikhism in Bengal continued to exist during the colonial period as Sikhs found employment in the region, but it declined after the partition in 1947.

[2] Guru Nanak's visit to Bengal in the early 16th century is corroborated in Sikh hagiographical literature, alongside local traditions.

[2] Mughal courtier Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak also records in his Akbarnama that Nanak had entered Sylhet from Kamrup with his followers.

[10][11] The Flemish artist Frans Baltazard Solvyns arrived in Calcutta in 1791 and observed many Sikhs, whom one could differentiate from the rest of the land's inhabitants by their garbs and traditions.

[2] A large number of Sikhs found employment with the Assam Bengal Railway and a gurdwara was established for them in Pahartali, Chittagong.

[13] In 1945, Sikhs established the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Sahib in Mymensingh which continues to be used by ten local families today.

After the Independence of Pakistan, most of the Sikh community left for the Dominion of India and the Dhaka gurdwara was looked after by Bhai Swaran Singh.

[7] During floods in the country, Sikh organizations such as Sampardai Kaar Sewa Sarhali Sahib run by Sukha Singh, have donated to the government of Sheikh Hasina for the purpose of humanitarian causes.

[2] There exists a small ancient Balmiki community who retain fluency in the Punjabi language from the time of Guru Nanak.

[2] Despite the direct propagation from four of the Sikh gurus, the religion was unable to profoundly influence the Bengali people due to its seemingly Punjabi-centric nature.

[2] Sikh soldiers were posted in Bengal during the British Raj but they mostly kept to themselves and did not extensively interact with local Bengalis due to differing language, culture, and religion.

[17][16] According to Sukomal Barua, former president of the committee, during the period of the British Raj, there were purportedly eighteen gurdwaras located in what is now Bangladesh.

[18][17] The gurdwaras that Nanak had established as per lore at Jafrabad is no longer extant, nor is the excavated a pond for drinking water he constructed for potters at Rayer Bazar in Dhaka.

[2] In 1972, the board appointed Kartar Singh, head priest of Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, to perform the daily religious functions.

[17][16] In circa 2011, it was reported that Sukha Singh of the Sampardai Kar Sewa Sarhali Sahib appointed eight ragis and granthis to carry-out religious services at the gurdwara.

[17] A Sikh Research Centre (SRC) at Gurdwara Nanak Shahi was set-up with Dhaka University professor Nirol Kazi as its head.