|
While SIM has been in Bangladesh in recent years,
Christian involvement in Bangladesh began over 200 years
ago. Nevertheless, Christianity has been accepted by
only a small segment of the population.
Protestant missions began with the work of William
Carey in Calcutta in 1793. It expanded to the north of
what is now Bangladesh in 1795 and then east to Dhaka in
1816. There were mass conversions in the central north
around Mymensingh during the end of the 19th century.
The Baptist Union of Bangladesh is the resulting
organization from this work and from service among the
people of Chittagong. The Bangladesh Baptist Fellowship
began later and is a combination of ministries
established by Baptists from Australia and New Zealand
and Southern Baptists from the United States. Anglicans
and Presbyterians (English) arrived later. Their work is
combined in the Church of Bangladesh. Due to the
difficulties related to the 1971 civil conflict, this
work is now basically independent. The Northern
Evangelical Lutheran Church has backing from Norwegian,
Danish and American Lutheran bodies. The Sylhet church
was founded by Presbyterians (Welsh). There are many
smaller groups working in the country. |
