Bangladesh’s population now stands at 16.51 crore, up 14.66 per cent or 2.11 crore over that in the previous period of 2011.
The male population in the country is less than the female population. The number of females is 16.34 lakh more than the number of males in the country, said the population census report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
Of the total population, 8.17 crore are males, while 8.33 crore are females, the BBS said at the first digital “Census and Household Census 2022” preliminary report publication ceremony at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital on Wednesday.
Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury was present as the chief guest in the event while Planning Minister MA Mannan chaired the event.
State Minister of Public Administration FarhadHossain, State Minister of Planning ShamsulAlamwere present as special guests.
Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said, “Many people talk about the country's population. Some say it is 18 crore, some say 20 crore. But these are mere speculations. From now on we will say the current population of the country is 16.51 crore. This is the real information.”
She said that the census will make an important contribution to the development plan of the country.
The Speaker said, “Nowadays the mobile phone has become an essential part of everyone's life. We can get information quickly on mobile. Many important information about the state comes out in the census conducted after 10 years. This information plays an important role in various research and planning.”
Planning Minister MA Mannan said, “The census has been done with utmost care and importance. However, we may be wrong somewhere. You show it. We will correct it.”
The data obtained from the census will be kept confidential, he said, adding that this information has a lot of commercial value.
About the nature of census data, he said, four lakh sophisticated tabs have been used in this year's digital census.
“At the same time, the work has been completed by employees who have passed at least HSC. From there only 64 tabs were lost or not returned. It is a magic figure. I have told my officers that the preliminary report must be published within one month. They were nervous. I said 'let us try'.”
Project Director DildarHossain said according to the report, the annual average growth rate of population in the country is decreasing.
“According to this census, the population growth rate is 1.22 percent which was 1.46 percent in 2011, 1.58 percent in 2001, 2.01 percent in 1991 and 2.84 percent in 1981. That is, the rate of growth has been gradually decreasing since the beginning of the census,” he added.
The population of the third gender stood at 12 thousand 629 in the country, the report said.
For the first time in the country, the work of population census started digitally on June 15.
The country's population was 144,043,697 in 2011, according to the previous census in 2011.
Mentioning this census as an issue of utmost importance for the nation, DrShamsulAlam said this is a historic moment for the nation as the data and information of the census are very much necessary for undertaking proper planning.
The country's first Population and Housing Census was held in 1974 followed by the 2nd census in 1981, the 3rd one in 1991, the 4th census in 2001 while the 5th one in 2011.
The rate of population growth was 2.84 percent in 1981, 2.01 percent in 1991, 1.58 percent in 2001, 1.86 percent in 2011 and 1.22 percent in 2022.
Among the eight divisions of the country, Dhaka has the highest population growth rate at 1.74 percent and Barisal the lowest at 0.79 percent.
On 15 June, the 6th census and house enumeration activities started simultaneously across the country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the week-long census at a ceremony at her official residence Gonobhaban in the capital.
The census was scheduled to end on 21 June, but due to floods in the northeastern districts, the census continued till 28 June.
The BBS conducted the census after more than 11 years.
Under the census operations, demographic and socio-economic data like number of households and their nature, ownership of homes, main source of drinking water, toilet facilities, power facilities, main source of fire for cooking, economic operations, inward remittance, age of household members, gender, marital status, religion, obstacles, education, work, training, mobile phone and internet usage, bank or mobile banking accounts, small ethnic groups, nationality and various district-wise information have been collected.
