Christianity is Bangladesh's fourth most followed religion, accounting approximately 0.3% (roughly 488,583) of the nation's population. Together with Buddhism (and other minority groups such as Atheism, Sikhism, Jainism, the Bahá'í Faith and others), Christianity accounts for 1% of the population. Most Christians in Bangladesh adhere to Roman Catholicism and Protestant denominations. The Christian population is primarily composed of Bengali Christians and members of various indigenous ethnic minorities.
History
thumb|upright|[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chittagong]]
The introduction and development of Christianity in South Asia can be traced back to several periods, with the help of several countries and denominations. The earliest connection to Christianity has traditionally been linked back to the arrival of the Apostle Thomas to the Malabar Coast during the first century, in 52 A.D. According to tradition, the Apostle had managed to convert several thousands of Hindu Brahmins, as they were "attracted" to the lifestyle and were "impressed" by Jesus' sacrifice.
Christianity did not have a presence in Bangladesh until the arrival of the Portuguese in 1510 with individuals like Alfonso de Albuquerque Albuquerque attempted to spread Christianity by encouraging inter-marriage with native Bengali women, therefore their descendants were the first generations of Christians. By 1514, the Portuguese had obtained the right to preach Christianity in Bengal, thanks to the agreement between the Catholic Pope and the King of Portugal. Afterwards, between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Portuguese missionaries were evangelising and preaching in the Bengali language. Soon on, evangelical books and Christian theology were being written in Bengali. British missionaries had also developed Christian newspapers (such as "Digdarshan", "The Gospel Magazine", and "The Christian Mohila") in an effort to spread the gospel. who provided humanitarian work after the Independence War in 1971. Since then, these NGOs and charities (see Contributions) have not only assisted with support for emergency relief, healthcare, and education in Bangladesh, but they have also encouraged the practice of reading the Bible.
History of Churches
The first church (in present-day Bangladesh) was officially inaugurated in Jessore, erstwhile Chandecan (now Jessore). The church was named "The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus" and was built by the Jesuits, who were not only given permission, but also financial support and land by the King of Jessore.
The second church was financially supported by the Arakanese King and was built by Andre Boves on 24 June 1600. Carey had arrived in Bangladesh in 1773, where he was financially supported by the Baptist Missionary Society to carry out missionary work.
In 1801, he was able to publish a translation of The New Testament, which was the first translation in any South Asian language. Carey then published a Bengali translation that same year and was also appointed as a professor at Fort William College.
Female missionaries
In 1822, Miss Mary Anne Cooke was one of the first English female missionaries. Prior to this in 1820, missionary William Ward had encouraged for English women to preach Christianity, in order to connect more with Bengali women. With help from the Christian Missionary Society, Cooke founded 15 girls' schools with around 300 students within Calcutta and Bengal to educate females. Bangladeshi Christians mainly belong to Santal, Garo, Khasi, Oraon, Bom, Khyang, Panko, Lushei and other tribes. Some Bengali Christians also live in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chittagong, Barisal, Sylhet and surrounding areas.
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text defaultleft col2right hover-highlight"
! Upazila
! District
! Division
! Percentage of Christianity
|-
|Ruma Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 37.32%
|-
|Thanchi Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 34.43%
|-
|Rowangchhari Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 17.83%
|-
|Rajasthali Upazila
|Rangamati Hill District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 10.83%
|-
|Belaichhari Upazila
|Rangamati Hill District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 9.60%
|-
|Alikadam Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 6.51%
|-
|Lama Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 6.24%
|-
|Bandarban Sadar Upazila
|Bandarban District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 5.83%
|-
|Tanore Upazila
|Rajshahi District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 5.69%
|-
|Kaliganj Upazila
|Gazipur District
|Dhaka Division
|align=center| 5.41%
|-
|Ghoraghat Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 5.40%
|-
|Mujibnagar Upazila
|Meherpur District
|Khulna Division
|align=center| 4.73%
|-
|Dhobaura Upazila
|Mymensingh District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 4.68%
|-
|Madhupur Upazila
|Tangail District
|Dhaka Division
|align=center| 4.28%
|-
|Haluaghat Upazila
|Mymensingh District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 3.84%
|-
|Godagari Upazila
|Rajshahi District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 3.83%
|-
|Durgapur Upazila
|Netrokona District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 3.68%
|-
|Dhamoirhat Upazila
|Naogaon District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 3.09%
|-
|Mongla Upazila
|Bagerhat District
|Khulna Division
|align=center| 3.02%
|-
|Nawabganj Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 3.00%
|-
|Birampur Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 2.95%
|-
|Kalmakanda Upazila
|Netrokona District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 2.87%
|-
|Dacope Upazila
|Khulna District
|Khulna Division
|align=center| 2.12%
|-
|Agailjhara Upazila
|Barisal District
|Barisal Division
|align=center| 2.12%
|-
|Patnitala Upazila
|Naogaon District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 2.09%
|-
|Fulbari Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 2.04%
|-
|Nachole Upazila
|Chapainawabganj District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 2.03%
|-
|Baraigram Upazila
|Natore District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 1.90%
|-
|Jhenaigati Upazila
|Sherpur District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 1.79%
|-
|Niamatpur Upazila
|Naogaon District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 1.78%
|-
|Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila
|Khagrachhari District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 1.75%
|-
|Kulaura Upazila
|Moulvibazar District
|Sylhet Division
|align=center| 1.70%
|-
|Birganj Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.54%
|-
|Panchbibi Upazila
|Joypurhat District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 1.43%
|-
|Bochaganj Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.43%
|-
|Hakimpur Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.36%
|-
|Porsha Upazila
|Naogaon District
|Rajshahi Division
|align=center| 1.35%
|-
|Sreemangal Upazila
|Moulvibazar District
|Sylhet Division
|align=center| 1.33%
|-
|Nawabganj Upazila
|Dhaka District
|Dhaka Division
|align=center| 1.29%
|-
|Nalitabari Upazila
|Sherpur District
|Mymensingh Division
|align=center| 1.27%
|-
|Atwari Upazila
|Panchagarh District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.09%
|-
|Kaptai Upazila
|Rangamati Hill District
|Chittagong Division
|align=center| 1.02%
|-
|Madhyanagar Upazila
|Sunamganj District
|Sylhet Division
|align=center| 1.02%
|-
|Dinajpur Sadar Upazila
|Dinajpur District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.01%
|-
|Pirganj Upazila
|Thakurgaon District
|Rangpur Division
|align=center| 1.00%
|-
|Others
|
|
|align=center| <1%
|-
|}
Contributions
thumb|Photo of [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mother Mary at the entrance of Notre Dame College]]
Christians in Bangladesh have historically played a significant role in education and healthcare. They established some of the country’s well-known schools, colleges, and hospitals.
Having worked in Bangladesh as a missionary since 1952, Richard William Timm belonging to the Congregation of Holy Cross won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding, the Asian Nobel Prize, in 1987 in recognition of his work as a teacher, as a biologist studying plant-parasitic worms, and with Caritas Bangladesh on relief efforts.
In the 1990s, many people opposed the aid of Christian NGOs, and therefore there was a spike in the number of protests and violence opposing the religious influence of Christian NGOs. Up to 52 NGOs were considered to be "anti-Islamic", with the intentions of "proselytising" the Islamic nation to Christianity, targeting the vulnerable; the outcasts, the uneducated, and the poor. To be safe from such attacks and to prevent such incidents, Christians would gather in secret or in small houses to practice their religion. Persecution of Christians in Bangladesh has since intensified at the hands of radical Islamists and extremist Muslims. In May 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made allegations of a Christian plot to "carve out" an independent Christian country in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Archbishop of Dhaka, Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze, categorically denied the allegations.
In 2023, the country was scored 2 out of 4 for religious freedom.
Other attacks on Christians
- On 3 June 2001, there was a bomb attack during a rally in a Catholic church located in Baniarchor; the attack had killed nine individuals.
- Pastor Luke Sarkar of Faith Bible Church was attacked and stabbed on 5 October 2015 and his throat was cut with a sharp knife but ended up surviving with injuries.
Denominations
Catholic Dioceses
There are two Catholic archdioceses and six Catholic dioceses in Bangladesh with some 400,000 Catholics. Each diocese is led by its own local bishop. Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario is the highest Catholic official.
The Archdiocese of Dhaka comprises:
List of Protestant denominations
- Assemblies of God
- Bangladesh Evangelical Revival Church
- Bangladesh Baptist Sangha
- Bangladesh Lutheran Church
- Christian Brethren
- Church of Bangladesh (United church of Anglicans, Presbyterians, and others; member of the Anglican Communion)
- Church of God (Anderson)
- Garo Baptist Convention
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Church of the Nazarene
- Bangladesh Evangelical Church
- Presbyterian Church of Bangladesh
- Isa-e Church
- House Church of Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Gospel Baptist Church
List of Baptist Churches
- Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha
- Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship
- Garo Baptist Convention
National Council of Churches in Bangladesh
The National Council of Churches in Bangladesh (or, Jatiya Church Parishad of Bangladesh; Bengali: জাতীয় চার্চ পরিষদ বাংলাদেশ, Translation: National Church Council Bangladesh) is a Christian ecumenical organization founded in Bangladesh in 1949 as the East Pakistan Christian Council. The organization serves as a unifying platform for Christians of various denominations, working towards solidarity, cooperation, and the well-being of the Christian community in the context of Bangladesh's diverse religious landscape. It is a member of the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia. In 2002, it led public debate on the reform of Bangladeshi personal law applied to Christians.
Christian theological education
There are 16 Christian theological institutions in Bangladesh:
- A G Bible College (Assemblies of God) was created in 1995 The magazine is one of the oldest Bengali and Catholic newspapers. In 2013, Pratibeshi launched an online news site with a focus on broad news coverage.
Christian education in Bangladesh
- Notre Dame University Bangladesh
- Notre Dame College, Dhaka
- Notre Dame College, Mymensingh
- St. Joseph Higher Secondary School
- YWCA Higher Secondary Girls School
- St. Gregory's High School and College
- St. Francis Xavier's Girls' High School
- St Francis Xavier's Green Herald International School
- A. G. Church School
- Bangladesh Adventist Nursing College - BANC
- Holy Cross College, Dhaka
- Holy Cross Girls' High School (Dhaka)
- Saint Philip's High School and College
- Saint Placid's High School
- St. Peter International Mission School
- Bandura Holy Cross School & College
- St. Euphrasies Girls' High School And College
- St. Theclas Girls' High School
Notable Bangladeshi Christians
Industry
- Samson Chowdhury, founder of Square Pharmaceuticals, Bangladesh
- Tapan Chowdhury, businessman
- Anjan Chowdhury
Arts
- Andrew Kishore, Bangladeshi playback singer
- Robin Ghosh, Bangladeshi playback singer and film music composer
- Tony Dias, Bangladeshi television actor and director
- Patrick D'Costa, Bangladeshi first Christian professional journalist
- George Lincoln D'Costa, Bangladeshi metal singer
- Andrew Biraj, Bangladeshi photojournalist
Bangladesh Army
- Brigadier John Gomes
- Capt. Shuvo Sanjib Ghagra, Gabindapur, Kalmakanda, Netrakona - Serving.
Sports
- Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Bangladesh national team: footballer
Politicians
- Hubert Costa, Bangladeshi-Polish member of parliament
- Promode Mankin, the First Catholic and the first member of the country's Christian community to become a government minister in Bangladesh (as a member of the Bangladesh Awami League) and formerly representing Mymensingh-1 (constituency) (whom Mankin's son became his successor)
- Jewel Areng, son of Promode Mankin, youngest member of parliament (as a member of the Bangladesh Awami League) and the only Catholic, representing Mymensingh-1 (constituency) (whose father was also his predecessor) from 18 July 2016 to 10 January 2024.
- Gloria Jharna Sarker, Bangladesh's first female Christian member of parliament (2019)
See also
- Islam in Bangladesh
- Hinduism in Bangladesh
- Buddhism in Bangladesh
- Sikhism in Bangladesh
- Christianity in India
- Christianity in the Middle East
- Christianity in Myanmar
- Religion in Bangladesh
- List of Bangladeshi Christians
- National Council of Churches in Bangladesh