Table 1 : Percentage distribution of population by religious communities in Bangladesh
Census Year |
Total % |
Muslim % |
Minorities % |
1941 |
100.0 |
70.3 |
29.7 |
1951 |
100.0 |
76.9 |
23.1 |
1961 |
100.0 |
80.4 |
19.6 |
1974 |
100.0 |
85.4 |
14.6 |
1981 |
100.0 |
86.7 |
13.3 |
1991 |
100.0 |
88.3 |
11.7 |
2001 |
100.0 |
89.7 |
10.3 |
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics : It is assumed in the meanwhile that the number of minority populations has further decreased upon election in October 2001. There are specific causes of declining minority populations form Bangladesh , especially since 1947 till date.
This indicates that the minority populations in the geographical boundary of Bangladesh has been declined more than 75% from 1947 to 2001, whereas the total population of the country has been increased by 300% during this period. If calculated, for the same period, statistically it is found that only the Muslim population has increased here by 400% during the same period, and if it is take as a normal population growth rate, while minority population could be here more than 64 million at present Bangladesh, provided all of them could stay here, however the number is approximately 15 million at present. Where have these 50 million minorities gone? Yes most of them have migrated to India , are migrating to India every day, will be migrating to India , if the condition is not improved in Bangladesh . Also few of them are migrating to other countries of the world, while also few of them are converted to Muslims.
However, despite their declining in number, the size of minority populations in Bangladesh still stands around 15 million which is more than each of 175 individual countries out of 236 of the world.
MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN THE PARLIAMENT
Except in the election 1954, there were never proportionate representatives of minorities in the legislatures of Bangladesh in any election of those held in 1970, 1973, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1991, February 1996, June 1996 and 2001. The number of their representatives in the parliament is quite negligible and thus frustrating too. |
The British formed legislative assembly in the then India in 1936 while the people's representatives for the first time were selected in various Provinces of India. There was a sort of election, better termed as referendum that took place in 1946 just before the partition of India . At that time, the Province of Bengal , known as greater Bengal , was composed of undivided Bengal , Assam , Tripura and a part of present Bihar . Meaningful to point out that Bengal was divided into two parts, East Bengal alias East Pakistan which was a part of Pakistan till 1971 and became an independent and sovereign country thereafter, and West Bengal which is presently a province of India .
Thus, it would be unworthy to show religion-wise representation in the parliament in both 1936 and 1946. Better to start from the election of 1954 till 2001 how minorities represent in the parliament in the then East Pakistan and present Bangladesh . Table 2 below shows percent of minority populations and their representation in the parliament.
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