An upcoming preliminary report on national population according to recent census to be released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will show that the nation’s population stands at 140 million which far less than what is widely believed, local news agencies say.
The report follows the fifth population census on March 15-19 this year which was largely condemned for not counting many people in capital Dhaka and elsewhere.
When he was asked about report’s accurac, a BBS official told reporters that the figure might be 150 million after adjustments in the light of alleged lapses.
United Nations’ Population Fund (UNFPA) in its State of the World Population 2010 reports published last October says the country’s population is over 160 million and predicted that in current growth rate it will be more than 222 million by 2050.
If you’re living in Bangladesh, especial in urban areas it’ll take little time for you to help realize that the UNFPA report is true in fact. Jam-packed streets, markets, public transports and congested housings- all bear witness to the claim.
In rural areas where more than 80 percent people live, life is simple and relaxed, but the necessary amenities for a standard living are hardly found.
The striking fact for Bangladesh is that here you find life in plenty but unfortunately one lacks in most of the things one needs for well-being.
Bangladesh population has doubled since 1971 independence from Pakistan when the figure was little over 70 million. Fourth census in 1991 showed population was 129.3 million.
The country is already experiencing a disastrous population explosion even though in recent years the growth rate came down to 1.57 percent. The rate slowed down thanks various promotional activities by government and NGOs.
By now massive growth has become the mother of many major problems including poverty, illiteracy, food crisis, unemployment, and corruption.
But it’s not enough for small country that is called to be the most densely populated country, currently ranked 8th most populous country in the world. It’s a striking contrast if compared with Russia (17 million km2) which is about 120 times larger than Bangladesh (144,000km2) but has little over 140 million people spread over such vast land.
However, the total population and number of men and women is crucial information to carry out development enterprises in the country and most of all it’s an essential data for a country that imports million tonnes food grains to ensure food security.
Media and some development NGOs allege that there is a tendency among officials to change or amend statistics to please higher authorities.
If the accurate statistics are not published, it is surely going to worsen the lives and livelihood of many people in Bangladesh.
