Bengali-speaking South Asian in Australia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Bengali people are the third largest ethnic group in the world behind the Han Chinese and Arabs. The homeland of the Bengalis is northeast India and Bangladesh. The Bangla language is the seventh most spoken language in the world. During the era of the British Empire, thousands of Bengali people left India and migrated to areas all over the world. Some have found their home in Australia during and after the days of British colonialism. Great Britain claimed Australia in 1770. Australia was set up as a penal colony after the North American colonies gained their freedom. In 1907 Australia became an independent dominion within the British Empire. The British monarch remains the official head of state.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Australia has a highly developed economy. Sources of income include mining gold and diamonds, agriculture, trade, manufacturing and telecommunications. Australia is a major producer of wheat, beef, mutton, and wool. Most Bengali people fit into the middle class as shop keepers, owners of restaurants and small businesses. Many also work in retail, trade and finance. Some professionals in medicine, science, engineering and information technology are some of the highest paid people in Australia. The father is the head of the Bengali home. The mother takes care of the children and domestic responsibilities. More and more Bengali women work full time. Parents strongly encourage their children to marry within their people group and faith. They also want their children to obtain university and professional degrees. Some Bengalis speak their own language at home and English on the job and with their neighbors. Some Bengali families now use English at home.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of the Bengali people living in Australia practice Islam. Of that group, most are Sunni. A smaller group of Bengalis in Australia is Hindu. Muslims attempt to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Muhammad. Sunnis believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, using deceit, slandering, and making idols. The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah. A tiny fraction of Bengalis in Australia is evangelical Christian.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bengali need to understand the Christianity is not just the religion for Westerners. Jesus is their Lord and Savior too. They need to see that material success will not bring them happiness and peace of mind. Only through Jesus Christ can one have his sins forgiven and attain eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray for an opening of spiritual understanding among all Bengalis. Ask the Lord to lead believers and churches in Australia to reach out and build friendships with the Bengalis. Pray that the small number of Bengali Christ followers will be a light for the other Bengali people. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Bengalis Muslims and Hindus towards Christ so that they will be receptive to the gospel. Ask the Lord to raise up a Disciple Making Movement among the Bengalis in Australia in this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the South Asian, Bengali-speaking in Australia.


References

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/bangladeshi-culture/bangladeshi-culture-bangladeshi-in-australia
https://profile.id.com.au/s_greater-sydney/bengali-population
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshi_Australians


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General South Asian, Bengali-speaking
People Name in Country South Asian, Bengali-speaking
Natural Name Bengali-speaking South Asian
Pronunciation ben-GAH-lee
Alternate Names Bangla-Bhasa; Bengali, Muslims; Hindu; साउत एशियन, बिंगाली-स्पीकिंग
Population this Country 57,000
Population all Countries 1,884,000
Total Countries 21
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 10790
ROP3 Code 101254
ROP25 Code 301073
ROP25 Name Bengali
Country Australia
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Australia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Australia
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Australia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.00 %)
9.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
6.00 %
Islam
85.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bengali (57,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bengali (57,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
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
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
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 Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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
Photo Source COMIBAM / Sepal 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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