History of The Salvation Amry Bangladesh
The Salvation Army started work in the Northern area of East Bengal, now known as Bangladesh, early last century under the leadership of Commissioner Booth Tucker.
A work was established among the “criminal tribes”, with a settlement being established in the northwest (near Saidpur) for approximately 2000 people. Later a boarding school for their children was established in nearby Nilphamari and children who found work, usually with the Indian railways, were no longer branded as criminal.
At the time of the partition of India & Pakistan, the work in the then East Pakistan diminished, and eventually came to a close.
In 1970, a relief team from West Pakistan was sent to render health and physical assistance to those affected by a devastating cyclone.
Again in early 1971, another cyclone hit East Pakistan and The Salvation Army provided relief support from West Pakistan and Calcutta. During the War of Liberation The Salvation Army worked in relief camps in West Bengal where over 2 million had sought refuge.
Following the War of Liberation, The Salvation Army was invited back into Bangladesh with the purpose of providing relief and medical aid. Relief and rehabilitation work continued throughout the 1970’s and early 1980’s.
In 1980 The Salvtion Army was registered by the Government of Bangladesh as a Joint Stock Company. Registration was also obtained with the Social Welfare Department in 1980.
Bangladesh was given the status of a Command on 1st January 1997
Over the successive years, the work of The Salvation Army developed a more permanent nature moving into Development Projects and spiritual work.
The first Corps was opened in 1976 at Jessore. However the first session of 6 cadets were commissioned in July 1994.
The Salvation Army received registration as a Church Trust on 27th June 2013.
NGO Registration Number: 033