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'''Census''' is the official count of [[Population|population]] of a country. The United Nations defined census as the total process of collecting, compiling and publishing demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time or times, to all persons in a country or delimited territory. According to the UN, the census is featured by the following aspects: (i) Individual enumeration, (ii) Universality within a defined territory, (iii) Simultaneity and (iv) Defined periodicity. Among the recommended and useful topics to be covered in a census are the following: Firstly, Geographic Characteristics: place where found at time of census or place of usual residence, place of birth, duration of residence, place of previous residence, place of work; Secondly, Personal and Household Characteristics: sex, age, relationship to head of household/ relationship to head of family, marital status, duration of marriage, marriage order, children born alive, children living, citizenship, literacy, school attendance, educational attainment/educational qualification, national/ethnic group, language, religion; Thirdly, Economic Characteristics: type of activity, occupation, industry, status, main sources of livelihood. Some of the useful derived topics are: (i) Geographic Characteristics: total population, locality, urban and rural, (ii) Personal and Household Characteristics: household composition, family composition, (iii) Economic Characteristics: socio-economic status, dependency, etc. Based on de jure or de facto procedures all people are counted as resident or present in a defined territory along with other topics as mentioned above.
'''Census''' in modern usage, the term ‘census’ may be defined as the total process of collecting, compiling, and publishing demographic, social and economic data about the population of a defined territory at a specified time or times. It is the unique source of reliable and comprehensive data and may be considered as the largest single data-gathering exercise carried out in a country. The first population census in Bengal was undertaken along with other parts of India-Bangladesh-Pakistan sub-continent under the British rule in 1872. But the attempt failed to achieve its objectives. The primary reason was that the people, suspicious of the population count, did not cooperate with the enumerators. This led to take a second census in 1881. According to demographers, the censuses of the first three decades of the 20th century (i.e. of 1901, 1911, and 1921) were fairly reliable.  


Medieval governments, both eastern and western, had conducted occasional censuses for [[Taxation|taxation]] and military call-ups. Dooms Day Book or Domesday Book, a survey of land and landed people conducted by King William I in 1086 AD, is considered to be the earliest recorded census in history. The first census in the USA was conducted in 1790 followed by the censuses in England and France in 1801.
The censuses of 1931 and 1941 lost their credibility due to fabrication of census data due to a number of reasons. Hindus and Muslims, motivated by communal enthusiasm, tended to submit false returns in favor of their respective communities. The census of 1951, the first census for East Pakistan, suffered weaknesses of a different kind. The census of 1961 is regarded as the most reliable count undertaken since 1901.  


The first census undertaken in India was emperor [[Tabaqat-i-Akbari|akbar]]'s survey and settlement of 1582 AD which had made a detailed enumeration of mouzawari rent-rolls. The survey known in history as Todar Mal's Bandubast recorded rent-payers, land under cultivation, categories of land according to productivity, rent structure of various categories of land, particulars of landholders, and so on. Though Bengal was not yet wholly under Akbar's kingdom, Todar Mal made a theoretical survey of Bengal sarkars as well. He enumerated the revenue rolls of seventeen Bengal sarkars or provinces.
Since the census of 1881, the subsequent censuses in the area now constituting Bangladesh had been carried out every ten years in the year ending in ‘1’ until 1961. After independence of Bangladesh, the first census of the country scheduled to be held in 1971 was conducted in 1974 due to the war of liberation.  


Census began to obtain its modern form in the late eighteenth century. The United States government conducted the first census in 1790. The first British census on a decennial basis took place in 1801. Since then census science has developed into a unique exercise involving decennial assessment of socio-economic trends. In 1801, there was also a crude census of Bengal districts. Collectors, magistrates, and judges of Bengal districts were required to return estimated population of districts within their respective jurisdictions. The method of the census was to enumerate population of respective districts, taking five heads on an average for every household.
The 1981 census was the second census in the free soil of Bangladesh after the War of Liberation in 1971. The third decennial census of Bangladesh was conducted between March 12 and March 15, 1991. The fourth population census was taken during 23 January–27 January, 2001. Following the decennial tradition of conducting the population census, the fifth census was conducted from the 15th to 19th of March 2011.  


In the 1840s and 1850s, there were several surveys and censuses enumerating revenue paying and rent-free estates as well as the population of Bengal. The [[Thakbast Surveys|thakbast survey]] (1840s-1850s), which fixed the village boundaries of Bengal districts for the first time, prepared a sketch map for every [[Mouza|mouza]] and made an enumeration of the village population, which was recorded in the map of the concerned mouza. The map contained a table giving the mouza's statistical details such as, households, population (based on average five heads per household), occupation, and the Hindu-Muslim break-up of village inhabitants. The chart also contained environmental enumeration such as livestock, cultivated land, wasteland, jungle-land, marshes, [[River|river]]s and [[Canal|canal]]s, bridges and culverts. These records provided basic material for [[Hunter, Sir William Wilson|ww hunter]] when he compiled his 20-volume Bengal gazetteer entitled Statistical Account of Bengal published in London in 1876.
''Population Size and Implied Rate of Growth 1901–2011''  In 1901, the population of Bangladesh was about 29 million, which rose to 36 million in 1931, only about 24% increase in 30 years. By the next 30 years, the rise was abrupt; nearly 43%. Within a period of only 20 years (1961–1981), more than 26 million people were added implying an increase of 71% within this short span of time. The population stood at 111.5 million in 1991. The census of 2001 recorded a population of 130.5 million, implying an addition of over 39 million people in 20 years since 1981. In the next 20 years, the population of Bangladesh increased by about 67 percent: from 89.9 million to 149.8 million. Based on the 2001–2011 intercensal growth rate, it is estimated that the population of Bangladesh will be close to 170 million in the next census date in 2021.


The first decennial census in Bengal was undertaken in 1872. But the attempt failed to achieve its objectives. People, suspicious of the unprecedented population count, did not cooperate with the enumerators. However, this census led to the startling revelation that Bengal was a Muslim majority province. The second and third censuses of 1881 and 1891 fared much better, though earlier defects could not be entirely eliminated. According to demographers the censuses of the first three decades of the 20th century were fairly reliable.
The urban population increased as a percentage of the total population from 2.6% in 1911 to 5.2% in 1961. After the independence of Bangladesh, the urban population was 6.27 million in 1974 which increased to 20.87 million in 1991 and 29.25 million in 2001. The annual growth rate of the urban population was 3.43% during 1991-2001 and 1.29% during 2001–2011 reaching to over 35 million in 2011 since 2001 (BBS, 2015: 36).  


The censuses of 1931 and particularly of 1941 lost their credibility due to fabrication of census data. Hindus and Muslims, motivated by communal enthusiasm, tended to submit false returns in favour of their respective communities. The census of 1951, the first census for East Bengal (East Pakistan), suffered weaknesses of a different kind. Recent two-way migration trends made the population count for many districts useless. The census of 1961 is regarded as the most reliable count undertaken since 1901.
''Population Density''  With a population of 214 persons per square kilometer in 1911 census year, the density stood at 976 persons per square km in 2011. This amounts to about a five-fold increase in the density in 100 years.  


The general features of the quality of censuses since 1951 can be summarised as follows:'
''Sex and Composition''  The sex ratio was 104.5 in 1901, which slowly began to increase till 1951 reaching to 109.7, an increase of about 5 percent in 50 years. It then started to fall rapidly and reached to as low as 100.3 in 2011, suggesting a precipitous fall of about 9 percent in another 60 years.


1. Undercount of infants and children is a general feature of the entire census series particularly for females. 2. The 1951 census was not well organised and no post enumeration check survey was conducted at the national level. In 1951, the extent of undercount in the urban areas was estimated as 5% and it was thought to be much higher. Assuming an under-enumeration rate of 4% at the national level, the total population size was adjusted at a later time. The population size was affected due to: (i) huge negative net migration (more out and less in) after 1941; (ii) over-enumeration of population in 1941 and (iii) famine of 1943. 3. The 1961 census was much better organised but later the population size was adjusted for substantial undercount (8.62%). 4. The PEC of the 1974 census showed an under-enumeration of 19.3% in four major cities and 6.5% elsewhere. The total population size was adjusted for an under-count of 6.88%. 5. The 1981 census was adjusted for an under-enumeration of 3.1%. 6. The net under-enumeration rate in 1991 census was 4.6% (4.0% in rural, 8.6% in municipal and 5% in other urban areas). 7. The 2001 census population was adjusted for 4.98% net under-enumeration (4.54% in rural areas, 5.81% in municipal areas, 3.73% in other urban areas and 7.67% in SMAs).
''Dependency Ratio''  Dependency ratio is the proportion of dependent population to the working age population. In the census reports, the dependents are those who are under 15 years of age and 60 years and over, while the working group consists of those who are aged 15–59. These ratios calculated from 11 census age distributions undertaken during 1911–2011varied from 88 percent in 1911 to 73 percent in 2011.


The census populations recorded from 1872 to 2011 are displayed in the following table:
''Religious Composition''  Bangladesh is predominantly an Islamic country where about 90 percent people are Muslims. The remaining 10 percent are believers of other religions. There have been virtually little changes in the religious composition over the last 20 years. For example, in 1991, the Muslim population constituted 87 percent of the total population, which increased to 89.9 percent in 2011.


''Table'' Variation in population since 1872.
''Age at Marriage'' Census data do not allow us to calculate mean age at marriage; instead we calculate Singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM), an indirect mean age at first marriage from proportions of never married population. The SMAM for females was only 12.6 years in 1931. During 1931–1974, this mean increased by 3.3 years. Since 1974, the female SMAM increased from 15 years to 19.6 years in 2011. The SMAM clearly shows that the mean age at marriage has consistently increased from its 1931 level to 2011. It is true for both sexes. Over this period, the mean age at marriage for males has gone up by 6.2 years. This is 6.8 years for females.


{| class="table table-bordered table-hover"
''Literacy Rate''  The literacy rate of population aged 7 years and above was 26.8 percent in 1974, which increased to 51.8 percent in 2011. This increase was significantly more pronounced among the males than among the females. Adult literacy rate for population aged 15 years and above in 2011 is 53. In adult literacy, the increase was more pronounced among the females.  [M Ataharul Islam]
|-
| Year || British Bengal || Bangladesh Territory
|-
| 1872 || 34, 691, 799 || ---
|-
| 1881 || 37, 020, 563 || ---
|-
| 1891 || 39, 812, 165 || ---
|-
| 1901 || 42, 888, 194 || 28, 927, 786
|-
| 1911 || 46, 312, 262 || 31, 555, 056
|-
| 1921 || 47, 599, 233 || 33, 254, 096
|-
| 1931 || 51, 087, 338 || 35, 604, 170
|-
| 1941 || 60, 306, 526 || 41, 997, 297
|-
| 1951 || --- || 44, 165, 740 (42, 062, 610)
|-
| 1961 || --- || 55, 222, 663 (50, 840, 234)
|-
| 1974 || --- || 76, 398, 000 (71, 479, 071)
|-
| 1981 || --- || 89, 912, 000 (87, 120, 119)
|-
| 1991 || --- || 111, 455, 185 (106, 314, 992)
|-
| 2001 || --- || 130, 522, 598 (124, 355, 263)
|-
| 2011 || --- || 142,319,000
|}


According to the provisional results of 2011 Population and Housing Census, the enumerated population on 15th March, 2011 was 142,319 thousand (Population and Housing Census 2011, Preliminary Results, July 2011, [[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics|bangladesh bureau of statistics]], p 3). The census data have become increasingly important for a country like Bangladesh mainly due to the importance in national planning. The population of Bangladesh has been passing through a very critical stage now due to initiation of population momentum when the population will increase rapidly during the next 40 to 50 years. During the process, the proportion of young age population will decrease sharply and the work age population will increase and thus the dependency ratio will decrease favouring the policy makers to plan for a rapid income growth in the country, if a proper plan is formulated on the basis of the changing population age composition based on the census data. During the process of population momentum, the proportion of elderly will steadily increase and that will result in increase in the dependency ratio once again. In addition, there is a remarkable trend of rural to urban migration in Bangladesh which will result in an enormous growth in the urban population during the next decades. Hence, the census data need to be employed carefully in order to make projections for the future changes so that we can obtain a clear view about the rapidly changing age composition of the population and their social, demographic, economic and health implications. [Sirajul Islam and M Ataharul Islam]
'''References'''  BBS (2015). Population and Housing Census 2011. National Report, Volume–1; BBS (2018). Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2018. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Dhaka.
 
'''Bibliography'''  Principles and Recommendations for National Population Censuses', Statistical Papers, Series M, No. 27, United Nations, 1958, p.3; Census of India, 1931, and 1941; Bangladesh Population Census, 1991, 2001, 2011.


''See also''  [[Population|population]].
''See also''  [[Population|population]].


[[bn:আদমশুমারি]]
[[bn:জনশুমারি]]

Latest revision as of 20:25, 13 October 2023

Census in modern usage, the term ‘census’ may be defined as the total process of collecting, compiling, and publishing demographic, social and economic data about the population of a defined territory at a specified time or times. It is the unique source of reliable and comprehensive data and may be considered as the largest single data-gathering exercise carried out in a country. The first population census in Bengal was undertaken along with other parts of India-Bangladesh-Pakistan sub-continent under the British rule in 1872. But the attempt failed to achieve its objectives. The primary reason was that the people, suspicious of the population count, did not cooperate with the enumerators. This led to take a second census in 1881. According to demographers, the censuses of the first three decades of the 20th century (i.e. of 1901, 1911, and 1921) were fairly reliable.

The censuses of 1931 and 1941 lost their credibility due to fabrication of census data due to a number of reasons. Hindus and Muslims, motivated by communal enthusiasm, tended to submit false returns in favor of their respective communities. The census of 1951, the first census for East Pakistan, suffered weaknesses of a different kind. The census of 1961 is regarded as the most reliable count undertaken since 1901.

Since the census of 1881, the subsequent censuses in the area now constituting Bangladesh had been carried out every ten years in the year ending in ‘1’ until 1961. After independence of Bangladesh, the first census of the country scheduled to be held in 1971 was conducted in 1974 due to the war of liberation.

The 1981 census was the second census in the free soil of Bangladesh after the War of Liberation in 1971. The third decennial census of Bangladesh was conducted between March 12 and March 15, 1991. The fourth population census was taken during 23 January–27 January, 2001. Following the decennial tradition of conducting the population census, the fifth census was conducted from the 15th to 19th of March 2011.

Population Size and Implied Rate of Growth 1901–2011 In 1901, the population of Bangladesh was about 29 million, which rose to 36 million in 1931, only about 24% increase in 30 years. By the next 30 years, the rise was abrupt; nearly 43%. Within a period of only 20 years (1961–1981), more than 26 million people were added implying an increase of 71% within this short span of time. The population stood at 111.5 million in 1991. The census of 2001 recorded a population of 130.5 million, implying an addition of over 39 million people in 20 years since 1981. In the next 20 years, the population of Bangladesh increased by about 67 percent: from 89.9 million to 149.8 million. Based on the 2001–2011 intercensal growth rate, it is estimated that the population of Bangladesh will be close to 170 million in the next census date in 2021.

The urban population increased as a percentage of the total population from 2.6% in 1911 to 5.2% in 1961. After the independence of Bangladesh, the urban population was 6.27 million in 1974 which increased to 20.87 million in 1991 and 29.25 million in 2001. The annual growth rate of the urban population was 3.43% during 1991-2001 and 1.29% during 2001–2011 reaching to over 35 million in 2011 since 2001 (BBS, 2015: 36).

Population Density With a population of 214 persons per square kilometer in 1911 census year, the density stood at 976 persons per square km in 2011. This amounts to about a five-fold increase in the density in 100 years.

Sex and Composition The sex ratio was 104.5 in 1901, which slowly began to increase till 1951 reaching to 109.7, an increase of about 5 percent in 50 years. It then started to fall rapidly and reached to as low as 100.3 in 2011, suggesting a precipitous fall of about 9 percent in another 60 years.

Dependency Ratio Dependency ratio is the proportion of dependent population to the working age population. In the census reports, the dependents are those who are under 15 years of age and 60 years and over, while the working group consists of those who are aged 15–59. These ratios calculated from 11 census age distributions undertaken during 1911–2011varied from 88 percent in 1911 to 73 percent in 2011.

Religious Composition Bangladesh is predominantly an Islamic country where about 90 percent people are Muslims. The remaining 10 percent are believers of other religions. There have been virtually little changes in the religious composition over the last 20 years. For example, in 1991, the Muslim population constituted 87 percent of the total population, which increased to 89.9 percent in 2011.

Age at Marriage Census data do not allow us to calculate mean age at marriage; instead we calculate Singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM), an indirect mean age at first marriage from proportions of never married population. The SMAM for females was only 12.6 years in 1931. During 1931–1974, this mean increased by 3.3 years. Since 1974, the female SMAM increased from 15 years to 19.6 years in 2011. The SMAM clearly shows that the mean age at marriage has consistently increased from its 1931 level to 2011. It is true for both sexes. Over this period, the mean age at marriage for males has gone up by 6.2 years. This is 6.8 years for females.

Literacy Rate The literacy rate of population aged 7 years and above was 26.8 percent in 1974, which increased to 51.8 percent in 2011. This increase was significantly more pronounced among the males than among the females. Adult literacy rate for population aged 15 years and above in 2011 is 53. In adult literacy, the increase was more pronounced among the females. [M Ataharul Islam]

References BBS (2015). Population and Housing Census 2011. National Report, Volume–1; BBS (2018). Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2018. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Dhaka.

See also population.

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