People group profile · PG001162
The Chakmas of Bangladesh
The Chakmas of Bangladesh, numbering about 491,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a scheduled tribe of India, Tripura, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal, also in Bangladesh, southeast, Chittagong Hills.
They are an indigenous people in the South Asian Tribal people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Buddhism, and they primarily speak Chakma.

Fast facts
- Country
- Bangladesh
- Population
- 491,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Asian Tribal
- Primary language
- Chakma (ccp)
- Primary religion
- Folk Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Chakmas are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Chakmas
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Folk Buddhism · Buddhism
80% adherents
Primary language
Chakma · Indo-European family
100% speak Chakma
Gospel resources in Chakma
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Chakma)
Bibles
- 2012 Bibles International · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Chakmas
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Chakma in other countries
The same people (ROP3 101976) is reported in 1 other country.
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