The Pagal Panthis were a socio-religious order that emerged in the late 18th century CE in the Mymensingh region of Bengal (now located in Bangladesh). Adherents of a syncretic mixture of Hinduism, Sufism and Animism, the order sought to uphold religious principles and the rights of landless peasants in Bengal; under the leadership of Tipu Shah, the movement soon evolved into a popular, armed struggle against British Raj and the zamindar (landlord) system.

The Pagal Panthis was a religious movement that emerged in the northern Mymensingh and Sherpur area of the province of Bengal. In contrast to the rest of Bengal, the region was inhabited mainly by tribal peoples such as the Garos, Hajangs, Dalus, Hudis and Rajvangshies, who were mainly adherents of Animism and tribal faiths. The region enjoyed considerable religious harmony and served as a base for religious reform movements such as the Pagal Panthis, an order founded by Karim Shah and other disciples of the Muslim fakir Majnu Shah, the leader of the Madariya Sufi order. After the death of Karim Shah in 1813, the order was led by his son Tipu Shah. Chandi Bibi, the wife of Karim Shah and Tipu Shah's mother also held an influential position in the community, known as Pir-Mata (Saint-Mother).