Chittagong is a large port city on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in the country with a population of nearly nine million. In 2018, the government decided to change the city’s name to Chattogram based on its Bengali spelling and pronunciation.
Adherents to Islam comprise 89% of the population. Most of the remaining people practice a variation of Hinduism, with Christians accounting for just .6%.
The Bengali people are the largest unreached people group in the world and are the majority population in Chittagong. Most practice a style of folk Islam that combines Sufi Islam, indigenous cultures, and Hinduism. Very few have heard the true gospel.
The cycle of poverty in Bangladesh continues to be the serious problem. While most of the monsoon flooding occurs further to the north, many of the people of Chittagong continue to live below the poverty line. The overpopulation of Bangladesh is significant. Imagine half the population of the United States living in Iowa! With few natural resources and a political climate that offers little hope, Chittagong is a land with desperate need for the message of Jesus.
“The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him.”
Psalm 22:27 (NIV)