Chakma in Bangladesh


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

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Identity

More than 430,000 Chakma people inhabit Bangladesh and adjoining areas of northeast India. Approximately 300,000 live in the Chittagong Hills area of south-east Bangladesh, including Chittagong City. They are the largest Buddhist group in that Muslim-dominated country. The Chakma are not the same as the smaller Chak tribe, who inhabit areas further south.

In India the Chakma are a scheduled (official) tribe. They number over 100,000 people spread over five states, including south-western Mizoram along the Karnafuli River (39,900 in 1981), northern Tripura (34,797 in 1981) and Assam (22,789 in 1971, living in the Karbi Anglong, North Cachar and Cachar districts). Small numbers of Chakma live in West Bengal (141 people) and Meghalaya (103 people).


History

The Chakma have inhabited the Chittagong Hill Tracts since long before the region became part of the Mughal empire in 1666. Buddhism flourished in Bangladesh from the 5th to 12th centuries. Since the 13th century, Buddhism has been confined to the Chittagong area. The Chakma 'continued to acknowledge the suzerainty of the Arakanese king until 1784 '. They have long found themselves at odds with the predominantly Muslim Bengalis. The construction of the Kaptai Dam in the 1960s caused 18,000 Chakma people to lose their homes, and this is believed to be the origin of the present problems. Since the mid-1970s the Chakma have been involved in a secretive guerilla war against Bangladeshi soldiers. The fighting stems from the influx of large numbers of Bengali settlers, who have moved into the Chittagong area and taken over Chakma land by force. The government does little to stop the illegal settlers, and the Chakma have fought back out of frustration as they see their lives being rapidly decimated. In 1987, Amnesty International reported 'arbitrary arrests, torture and unlawful killings' of tribe members by security forces. Thousands of Chakma have been killed, hundreds of women and girls raped, and Buddhist temples smashed and looted. Tens of thousands of Chakma refugees have fled across the border into India.


The Chakma people live in a part of India where there are believers nearby, and not just any believers, but people who follow Christ with all their hearts
Religion

According to K S Singh, 'The Chakma are Buddhists and worship Lord Buddha. At the family level they worship deities like Lakshmi and Ganga. The monk, who may be from another Buddhist community, acts as a religious teacher and performs various rites.'

The 1981 census in India recorded 97.62 per cent of the Chakma in Tripura as followers of Buddhism, 2.32 per cent as Hindus and the rest as Christians and Muslims. The 1961 census had returned a higher figure of 99.44 per cent as Buddhists. In Mizoram, 98.83 per cent of Chakma are Buddhists.


Christianity

According to the India Missions Association, 7,275 Chakma in India are Christians. In Bangladesh, the Christian presence among the Chakma is scarcer, although there are small pockets of believers in scattered villages. Overall, the troubled Chakma people remain an unreached and unevangelized people group. Experiencing turmoil and an uncertain future, they need the inner peace and hope that only faith in Christ can bring.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Chakma in Bangladesh.


Profile Source:   Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

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Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2007-08-07
Global Prayer Digest: 2009-10-27
People Name General Chakma
People Name in Country Chakma
Pronunciation CHAHK-mah
Alternate Names Chakama; Chawngma; Daingnet; Doingnak; Thet; Tsak; चागमा
Population this Country 534,000
Population all Countries 825,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 11293
ROP3 Code 101976
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 30  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 430,000 Chakma people inhabit Bangladesh and adjoining areas of northeast India. Approximately 300,000 live in the Chittagong Hills area of southeast Bangladesh, including Chittagong City.   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Chittagong
497,000
Sylhet
11,000
Dhaka
8,100
Rangpur
1,400
Rajshahi
500
Khulna
400
Barisal
200
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 30  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 430,000 Chakma people inhabit Bangladesh and adjoining areas of northeast India. Approximately 300,000 live in the Chittagong Hills area of southeast Bangladesh, including Chittagong City..   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Total States 7
  Chittagong 497,000
  Sylhet 11,000
  Dhaka 8,100
  Rangpur 1,400
  Rajshahi 500
  Khulna 400
  Barisal 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
86.25 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
7.47 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
6.10 %
Islam
0.13 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.05 %
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Chakma (527,000 speakers)
Language Code ccp   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Chittagonian
6,200
Sylheti
1,000
Primary Language Chakma (527,000 speakers)
Language Code ccp   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Chittagonian 6,200
  Sylheti 1,000
People Groups Speaking Chakma

Primary Language:  Chakma

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1924-1955)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1926-2012)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2021)
Bible-NT Audio 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 New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Chakma Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Chakma YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Chakma Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Anonymous  
Profile Source Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.