Bangladesh’s population reaches 165 million

Bangladesh’s current population is 165,158,616 (16 crore 51 lakh 58 thousand 616) according to the 'Population and Housing Census 2022' report published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at the capital on Wednesday.

Currently, women outnumber men in Bangladesh. The male population is 81,712, 824 (8 crore 17 lakh 12 thousand 824) while the female population is 83,347,206 (8 crore 33 lakh 47 thousand 206). The population has risen by 21,114,919 (2 crore 11 lakh 14 thousand 919).

The countrywide population census and house survey began on 15 June. The census was supposed to conclude on 21 June but due to the flood situation in the Sylhet division the census activities got delayed in that region. The census finally concluded on 28 June.

According to the report, the rate of population growth in Bangladesh is 1.22 per cent. In the 2011 census, the population growth rate was 1.37 per cent.

Population density has increased to 1,119 people per square kilometre. In the previous census, it was 976 per square kilometre.

The literacy rate has increased to 74.66 per cent. In 2011, it was 51.77 per cent. 55.89 per cent of the population above the age of five use mobile phones and 30.68 per cent use internet.

The number of households in the country is 41,000,000 (4 crore 10 lakh). In the previous census it was 32,100,000 (3 crore 21 lakh). In the current census, there are four people in each household on average. Previously, it was 4.50 per cent.

91 per cent of the population is Muslim, 7.95 per cent is Hindu. In the 2011 census, the Hindu population was 8.56 per cent.

Project director of BBS Dildar Hossain highlighted the different aspects of the primary report in Population Census and Household Survey, preente don Wednesday morning at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre where Speaker of the national parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain, planning minister MA Mannan, state minister for planning Shamsul Alam and other dignitaries were present.

In 2001, the country’s population was 124,355,263 (12 crore 43 lakh 55 thousand 263). In the 1991 consensus, it was 106,314,992 (10 crore 63 lakh 14 thousand 992), in 1981 it was 87,119,965 (8 crore 71 lakh 19 thousand 965) and in 1974, the first ever consensus in independent Bangladesh, the population was 71,479,071 (7 crore 149 thousand 071).