Sylhet Muslim in Bangladesh


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

Subgroups: 4

Subgroup Name Population
Pathan 2,400
Moghal Unknown
Sayyid Unknown
Shaikh Unknown

Introduction / History

Sylhet Muslims are an Indo-Aryan ethnocultural group associated with the Sylhet region in South Asia, specifically in northeast of Bengal presently divided between the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh, and the Karimganj district of Assam, India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Sylhet weddings are celebrated as a combination of Muslim and Hindu traditions including unique Sylheti features. They contribute to development and continuity of social ties between families and villages. Every year the Sylhet community celebrates certain Islamic holidays. People dress in traditional clothing. They give their children money and the men offer special prayers. They visit their relatives later in the day and cook traditional food for relatives. Although Islam does not recognize castes, Sylheti Muslims also practice a system of social division.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Sunni Islam is the major religion practiced by Sylhet in Bangladesh. They believe that the one, supreme god, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, they must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times each day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.


What Are Their Needs?

These people for whom Jesus laid down his life, need to know of Christ's provision for the penalty of their sins. There are Bible portions, the JESUS Film, and audio resources in the Sylheti language; however, someone must take them to the Muslim Sylhet people in Bangladesh. Who will do it?


Prayer Points

Pray that there will soon be a community of believers that will multiply into a movement to Christ. Pray for a Christ-ward movement to thrive among the Sylhet Muslim people in Bangladesh. Pray for this people group to recognize their own spiritual bankruptcy and come to Christ for the riches of his forgiveness.


Scripture Prayers for the Sylhet (Muslim traditions) in Bangladesh.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Sylhet (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Sylhet (Muslim traditions)
Natural Name Sylhet Muslim
Pronunciation SIH-let
Alternate Names
Population this Country 12,350,000
Population all Countries 12,472,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 247
People ID 22311
ROP3 Code 109660
ROP25 Code 307791
ROP25 Name Sylhetti Bengali
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 3
Largest States
Sylhet
9,801,000
Dhaka
1,751,000
Chittagong
798,000
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 3
  Sylhet 9,801,000
  Dhaka 1,751,000
  Chittagong 798,000
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 Sylheti (11,928,000 speakers)
Language Code syl   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Bengali
420,000
Kok Borok
600
Primary Language Sylheti (11,928,000 speakers)
Language Code syl   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Bengali 420,000
  Kok Borok 600
People Groups Speaking Sylheti
Photo Source Adam Jones - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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