Lesson 1/45 min
The census record
Census: the basics
- A census is the formal counting of a country's population
- First census of the subcontinent: 1872, in the time of Lord Mayo
- In Bangladesh the census is conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS)
- Rule: once every 10 years
- The National Population Policy was framed in 1976
- Bangladesh has held 6 censuses so far: 1974, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2022
The six censuses
| Census | Date | Total population | Growth rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 March 1974 | 76,398,000 | 2.48 |
| 2nd | 5 March 1981 | 89,912,000 | 2.35 |
| 3rd | 11 March 1991 | 111,455,185 | 2.17 |
| 4th | 22 January 2001 | 129,247,233 | 1.48 |
| 5th | 15–19 March 2011 | 149,772,364 | 1.37 |
| 6th | 15–21 June 2022 | 169,828,911 | 1.22 |
Watch out: The first four rows are adjusted totals. Zubair's book prints the raw counts: 7.14 crore (1974), 8.71 crore (1981), 10.63 crore (1991), 12.43 crore (2001). So the books do not match on these numbers.
Check yourself
When was the first census in the subcontinent, and under whom?
At a glance
- 1
The first census of the subcontinent was held in 1872, in Lord Mayo's time.
- 2
Bangladesh's first census was on 1 March 1974; there have been 6 so far.
- 3
The census is conducted by the BBS, every 10 years.
- 4
The growth rate has fallen steadily: 2.48 (1974) to 1.22 (2022).
- 5
The National Population Policy was framed in 1976.