The sights and sounds of Bangladesh are both colourful and vibrant. More than 165 million people call this beautiful land their home—one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The capital city of Dhaka has an electric energy as people move around in rickshaws and on motorcycles. It’s estimated there are more than 600,000 rickshaws in Dhaka alone. For the visitor, the traffic initially seems to be chaos on wheels, but one quickly comes to realize there is an ebb and flow to the movement of people. As a floodplain, with more than 700 rivers and inland waterways, traditional wooden boats, such as Bainkata or Kosha, are also an important means of transportation.
The Salvation Army began work in Bangladesh immediately after the Liberation War with Pakistan in 1971. A team of Salvationists, who had been serving in refugee camps in Calcutta, India, accompanied the thousands who returned to the newly liberated country. Today, The Salvation Army continues to serve in this Muslim-predominant country, with 86 officers, six cadets, 32 corps and 12 outposts. It also has 196 employees, and is involved in vast outreach ministries in the areas of health, housing, education and women’s empowerment.
The Canada and Bermuda Territory and Bangladesh Command became Partners in Mission on January 1, 2018. Last year, a team from the world missions department visited Bangladesh to see how The Salvation Army is bringing hope to the communities it serves.
Health
Housing and Education
Women's Empowerment
Corps Ministry
Training College
Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray is the director of the world missions department.
This month, The Salvation Army will participate in two important days of remembrance and action: the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) on September 22, and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. In this interview with Kristin Ostensen, managing editor, Major Ray Lamont, territorial modern slavery and human trafficking response co-ordinator, and Captain Crystal Porter, territorial Indigenous ministries consultant, talk about why Indigenous people are more vulnerable to MSHT, how the Army is fighting MSHT in our territory, and how Salvationists can prioritize MSHT response work and reconciliation year round.
Major Ray Lamont and Captain Crystal Porter look at how the Army is currently fighting modern slavery and human trafficking, and why Indigenous people are more likely to be affected by this injustice.
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On Friday, February 21, 2020, Arthur said:
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