Hindu Valmiki in Bangladesh


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

Introduction / History

The Valmiki are also called Balmiki. They are a caste of street sweepers with low status. Though most live in India, they are also in the other South Asian nations of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Valmiki people face discrimination from a young age. At school their children are given derisive names. They are treated like they cannot learn by public school teachers. Those who work in parks clean things up, then take a stroll in the park only to be told to leave either by high caste members or by the police. If they resist, the police will beat them. Valmiki women are sexually abused by high caste men. There is nothing they can do about it.
Since the root of these problems is in the Hindu based caste system, some Valmiki have changed to a different religion. Most commonly they become Buddhist, but others have adopted Islam or Sikhism.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Valmiki people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.
Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Valmiki people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Valmiki people in Bangladesh to have the justice they need.
Pray for them to find their identity and sense of worth in the God who gave them life, and the savior who offers them life to the full.
Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Valmiki people in Bangladesh.
Pray God will have mercy on the Valmiki, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Valmiki to the gospel.


Scripture Prayers for the Valmiki (Hindu traditions) in Bangladesh.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valmiki_caste


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Valmiki (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Valmiki (Hindu traditions)
Natural Name Hindu Valmiki
Pronunciation wahl-MEE-kee
Alternate Names Balmik; Balmiki; Bhangi; Byada; Churhra; Hair; Hari; Malkana Mehtar; Mehtar; Mehtor
Population this Country 10,000
Population all Countries 5,934,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 22348
ROP3 Code 119347
ROP25 Code 308545
ROP25 Name Valmiki / Balmiki (SC)
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 6
Largest States
Rangpur
3,700
Dhaka
2,700
Rajshahi
1,400
Chittagong
1,300
Khulna
1,000
Barisal
400
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 6
  Rangpur 3,700
  Dhaka 2,700
  Rajshahi 1,400
  Chittagong 1,300
  Khulna 1,000
  Barisal 400
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
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 (9,400 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Chittagonian
900
Hindi
60
Primary Language Bengali (9,400 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Chittagonian 900
  Hindi 60
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)
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Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Aathi94 - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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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