Introduction / History
The Meitei live in the northeastern corner of Bangladesh—mostly in the Moulvibazar district of Sylhet division. The vast majority of their people live in Manipur State in India where Meitei is the official state language. A unique feature of the Meitei is that their community is made of one language, but two religions. A majority of them are Hindus and have Mongoloid features, while a minority of them are Muslims and have Bengali features. In spite of this, there exists good harmony between them and they are proud of the common heritage of their mother tongue.

Most Meiteis still earn a living by farming, though the younger generation would like to use their education to enter more modern fields. The Meitei are very resistant to change, particularly in the area of religion. Outsiders trying to spread the gospel are not well received, and individuals may resist the gospel for fear that they will lose their place in the Meitei society if they become Christians. Much work needs to be done to make them aware of their need for Christ.