Pashtun in Bangladesh


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

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Introduction / History

The Pashtun of Afghanistan and Pakistan have been called the largest Muslim tribal society in the world. There are at least 30 major tribes, and countless sub-tribes and clans. Spread over a vast geographical area and riven by socio-economic, political, tribal and linguistic (dialectical) differences, Pashtuns nevertheless share a unique sense of common identity. Pashtun identity is based on four elements: Heritage (descent from a common ancestor); Islam (99.9% Muslim); the Pashtunwali Code of Honor ("The Way of the Pashtun"); and to some extent, Language (Pakhtu or Pashto). They live primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, though there is a significant Pashtun diaspora in the Arab Gulf and many Western countries.
There have been efforts to reach the Pashtun since 1818, when William Carey translated parts of the Old Testament into Pakhto, based on interaction with Pashtun traders who caravanned (and settled) across north India and beyond. (In South Asia, the name "Pashtun/Pakhtun" was anglicized to "Pathan"—a name immortalized in Rudyard Kipling's novels and British colonial history. Today, the Pashtun in India, Bangladesh, and throughout South Asia are known as "Pathan".)
The first intentional mission to the Pashtun was launched by the Church Missionary Society in Peshawar, Pakistan (then Northwest India) in 1853. This was followed by over 150 years of faithful witness, through mission hospitals, schools, colleges, literature, friendship evangelism, and other forms of witness by national Pakistani (Punjabi) Christians and expatriate missionaries. Despite this record, and the slow but growing number of scattered Pashtun believers, a vibrant, indigenous, Disciple Making Movement has yet to take root and spread. This is true no matter where they live.
The majority of Pashtun live in Pakistan. They are concentrated mainly in the northern and western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The Durand Line (the border established under British colonial rule) divides traditional Pashtun homelands in Afghanistan and present-day Pakistan. However, due to tribal, linguistic, social and economic ties, the border is porous, and volatile—fertile ground for the drug trade, smuggling, and cross-border militancy. Armed opposition continues. Instability, endemic corruption, and on-going violence have led to widespread disillusionment—and the migration of tens of thousands of Afghans (mainly young men) seeking jobs and opportunity in Europe and the West. Some are in Bangladesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Bangladesh and Afghanistan governments have sometimes helped refugees from the other country. Pashtuns in Bangladesh must deal with a different language and culture. But they share the same Muslim beliefs and attend the same mosques.


What Are Their Beliefs?

No matter where they live, including Bangladesh, Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims. Blended in with their Islamic religion is Pashtunwali, their code of honor. Pashtuns highly value hospitality and a form of manliness that easily leads to violent conflicts.


What Are Their Needs?

Pashtun people need job opportunities. Often the best and the brightest manage to leave Afghanistan for countries with better economic prospects. The younger generation is caught between parents who hold to Pashtun ways and their peers at school who live in a different world.


Prayer Points

Pray for the production and distribution of all forms of media in the Pashto language, including literature, videos, music, movies, radio, websites and social media.
Pray for Bible translations to produce good fruit, and opportunities for people to respond to the Lord of lords.
Pray for loving workers to serve among the Pashtun people—in education, business, healthcare, development, and other professional areas.
Believers. No one knows how many Pashtuns are following Jesus. Seeds of the gospel have been sown widely. The greatest barriers to faith are social and cultural. Pray for God's Spirit to strengthen and protect new believers and to empower their lives and witness.


Scripture Prayers for the Bengali Muslim Pashtun, Pathan in Bangladesh.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  
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The Waiting World - The Pushtun

Source:  The Waiting World      Download

People Name General Pashtun, Pathan
People Name in Country Bengali Muslim Pashtun, Pathan
Natural Name Pashtun
Pronunciation pahsh-TOON
Alternate Names पश्तून, पठान
Population this Country 145,000
Population all Countries 10,597,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
PeopleID3 21537
ROP3 Code 116298
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Dhaka
53,000
Rangpur
31,000
Rajshahi
29,000
Chittagong
23,000
Khulna
23,000
Barisal
8,500
Sylhet
3,500
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 7
  Dhaka 53,000
  Rangpur 31,000
  Rajshahi 29,000
  Chittagong 23,000
  Khulna 23,000
  Barisal 8,500
  Sylhet 3,500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (161,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
Chittagonian
4,300
Urdu
3,000
Sylheti
900
Pashto, Central
500
Kok Borok
20
Primary Language Bengali (161,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
  Chittagonian 4,300
  Urdu 3,000
  Sylheti 900
  Pashto, Central 500
  Kok Borok 20
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Bangla Version Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Bengali Bible (Common Language Version) Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Android Bible App: Bengali Bible (বাঙালি বাইবেল) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Mussolmani Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kitabul Muqaddas (Bangla) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: পবিত্র বাইবেল (Holy Bible) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Bengali Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bangla Bible Kalaam Media Ltd
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bengali YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Bengali Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Online New Testament (Bibles India) Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Soham Banerjee - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source The Waiting World
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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