Bangladesh

Biblical Background

After the confusions of languages at Babel, Madai, Noah’s grandson’s descendants (line of 1^stborn Japheth) moved to, and populated, Persia (Iran), Pakistan, Afghanistan and Northern India. But also Elam, the 1^st of the five sons of Shem, Noah’s 2^nd son, moved to and populated Persia (Iran), Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India with its present day partitioned Pakistan and Bangladesh. (They spoke the Indo-European language).

Secular History

Pakistan and Bangladesh was brought into being at the time of the partition of British India, in response to the demands of Islamic nationalists: as articulated by the All India Muslim League under the leadership of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, India’s Muslims would receive just representation only in their own country. From independence until 1971, Pakistan (both de facto and in law) consisted of two regions—West Pakistan, in the Indus River basin in the north-western portion of the Indian subcontinent, and East Pakistan, located more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to the east in the vast delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system. In response to grave internal political problems that erupted in civil war in 1971, East Pakistan was proclaimed the independent country of Bangladesh

Intercessory Overview

Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world. Churches are careful when offering relief to the poor and needy because they do not want to encourage false conversions among people claiming faith in Christ solely for economic benefit. While Bangladesh is a majority-Muslim nation, the government avoids undue influence from Islamists and actively fights extremism. Millions of Bangladeshis are learning about Christ and the Bible through media outreaches.

Major Religion

87% of Bangladeshis are Sunni Muslims. ≈0.5% are Christians.

Persecution

Local Muslim authorities, Islamist extremist groups, families and communities persecute Christians.

What it means to follow Christ

Many Christian groups meet publicly, while others worship in unregistered churches. When Muslims convert to Christianity, they are often forced to leave their community.

Access to Bibles

The Bangladesh Bible Society and the mission community have made Bibles available in several languages, but those in rural areas and especially Muslim converts have difficulty finding and acquiring them.

Prayers

Pray for 14 Bengali believers sharing the gospel in the northern districts.
Pray for Shilpi, who was seriously injured when Muslims burned down her house.
Pray for teams working to plant house churches in Dhaka.
Pray for those training 50 front-line workers to carry the gospel to Muslims.
Pray for the encouragement of Christians, who are often the only believers in their village.
Pray for a front-line worker who conducts retreats for persecuted Bangladeshi Christians.

More Prayers

The cycle of poverty will continue unless fundamental changes occur. Bangladesh has few natural resources; around 25% of the population lives below the poverty line. The country sits on level ground beside the gigantic Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, and floods and monsoon rains regularly devastate the nation. The political situation offers little hope, as it seems more focused on arguments between wealthy clans than on improvements for the people. Pray for long-term transformation in this land of desperate need.
The political situation offers little hope for significant change and seems a venue for feuding between two very wealthy clans rather than a means to improving the lot of the poor majority. Many see Bangladeshi democracy as merely lip service to Western ideals in order to secure aid. Corruption is endemic and deeply rooted. Pray for governance that is just, transparent and effective at assisting those in need while thwarting those seeking to gain at the expense of the nation.
Religious discrimination and tension is rising. Islamists, while a small minority, exert increasing pressure for governance by shari’a principles. Minority groups, even Muslim ones, find themselves vulnerable. Christians, Buddhists and especially Hindus suffer as persecution intensifies, occasionally to the point of destruction of property and sometimes even death. Forced reconversion to Islam is an increasing threat. Since independence, the percent of the population comprising minority sections of society has been reduced to half. Pray that the constitutional freedom allowing all to practise and propagate their own religions might be maintained.
The churches have been growing faster than the population rate for the last 50 years. Pray specifically for:
- The people-movement tribal churches. Significant church growth (greater than 10% evangelical) has occurred among the following peoples: Santal, Munda, Khasi, Garo, Maramei, Ralte, Mizo, Poi. Another 18 groups have more than 5% evangelicals and multiplying churches. Pray that these churches may become strong and full of vision for mission.
- The churches among sections of the Hindu population. The majority of indigenous believers have traditionally been from a Hindu background, and usually from the less populous and lower caste peoples. The ill-treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh has made them more amenable to the gospel.
- Believers from a Muslim background. There are tens of thousands who now call on Jesus as Lord, but a wider breakthrough awaits. Some have found Christ through highly contextualized “Jesus mosques”, others through relational networks, even visions and dreams. Pray for these fledgling movements with such staggering potential to grow, spread and mature.
The tribal peoples’ very existence is threatened as the Bengali population explosion pushes further into traditional tribal lands. Several peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts suffer from this slow squeeze; their lands and even their culture are under threat as Islamization accompanies Bengalization. Pray for a just settlement – the granting of limited autonomy to the region has not improved the situation much. Pray also for Christian agencies seeking to bring tribal peoples to Christ (Global Interaction, ABWE, BMS, GFA, IMB, Presbyterians and Lutherans). Some groups are almost entirely unreached while others have large Christian populations.
Other unreached groups:
- Bihari Muslims (Urdu-speaking) are unwanted by Pakistan and stigmatized as traitors in Bangladesh for their role in the 1971 war. Most still live in dozens of former refugee camps. Pray for reconciliation with the Bengali people. Pray for a development plan for them, for Christian workers and for openness to the gospel.
- Rohingya Muslims. As many as 250,000 of them have fled persecution from the Buddhist Myanmar government. Huddled into refugee camps, facing starvation and often subject to forced repatriation or maltreatment, they have never been evangelized. Pray for those seeking openings to reach them.
Scripture is in great demand despite legal complications involving the use of Koranic language in the Bible and attempts to “protect” Muslims from Christian Scriptures. Pray for:

- Literature distribution. The Bible Society and its extensive ministry of Scripture production distributes around one million Bibles, NTs and Scripture portions each year. EHC has distributed over nine million tracts door-to-door and provided over 200,000 BCC courses to seekers.
- Literacy issues. The availability of the Bible in the Muslim Bengali dialect avails little when over 50% of the population suffers from literacy problems. Pray for effective programmes that will combine literacy training with Scripture. Pray for initiatives in sharing the Bible orally, through story telling and other means.
- The translation of the Bible into tribal languages. At least five and possibly more translations are needed; work is in progress in some of these.