Bengali-speaking South Asian in New Zealand


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Bengali people are the third largest ethnic group in the world behind the Han Chinese and Arabs. The homeland of the Bengalis is northeast India and Bangladesh. The Bangla language is the seventh most spoken language in the world. During the era of the British Empire, thousands of Bengali people left India and migrated to areas all over the world. Some have found their home in New Zealand. Many others came there in recent decades for opportunities. New Zealand became a colony in the British Empire in 1841. In the year 1947 New Zealand became an independent country retaining the British monarch as head of state. The indigenous Maoris are the biggest minority followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders.


What Are Their Lives Like?

New Zealand has a highly developed economy. Sources of income include agriculture, logging, tourism, manufacturing, and gold mining. There is an old joke about there being more sheep in New Zealand than people. Wool and mutton continue to contribute to the economy today. Most Bengali people fit into the middle class as shop keepers, owners of restaurants and small businesses. Many also work in retail, trade and finance. Some professionals in medicine, science, engineering and information technology are some of the highest paid people in New Zealand. The father is the head of the Bengali home. The mother takes care of the children and domestic responsibilities. More and more Bengali women work full time. Parents strongly encourage their children to marry within their people group and faith. They also want their children to obtain college and professional degrees. Some Bengalis speak their own language at home and English on the job and with their neighbors. Some Bengali families now use English at home.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of the Bengali people living in New Zealand practice Islam. Of that group, most are Sunni. A small group of Bengalis in New Zealand is Hindu. Muslims attempt to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad. Sunnis believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, using deceit, slandering, and making idols. The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah. A tiny fraction of Bengalis in New Zealand are evangelical Christians.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bengali need to understand the Christianity is not just the religion for Westerners. Jesus their Lord and Savior too. They need to see that material success will not bring them happiness and peace of mind. Only through Jesus Christ can one have his sins forgiven and attain eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray for an opening of spiritual understanding among all Bengalis. Ask the Lord to lead Christians and churches in New Zealand to reach out and build friendships with the Bengalis. Pray that the small number of Bengali believers will be a light for the other Bengali people. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Bengalis Muslims and Hindus towards Christ so that they will be receptive to the gospel. Pray that the Lord raises up a Disciple Making Movement among the Bengalis of New Zealand in this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the South Asian, Bengali-speaking in New Zealand.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshi_New_Zealanders
https://www.bengalimatrimony.com/matrimonials/Country/153/New-Zealand.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_New_Zealanders


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General South Asian, Bengali-speaking
People Name in Country South Asian, Bengali-speaking
Natural Name Bengali-speaking South Asian
Pronunciation ben-GAH-lee
Alternate Names Bangla-Bhasa; Bengali, Muslims; Hindu; साउत एशियन, बिंगाली-स्पीकिंग
Population this Country 3,700
Population all Countries 1,884,000
Total Countries 21
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 10790
ROP3 Code 101254
ROP25 Code 301073
ROP25 Name Bengali
Country New Zealand
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Oceania
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country New Zealand
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Oceania
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.13 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
10.00 %
Islam
85.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
4.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bengali (3,700 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bengali (3,700 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
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)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
Photo Source COMIBAM / Sepal 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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