'Form independent body for reliable population census'

An independent body is a must for post-enumeration cross-checking of the 5th population and housing census 2011 to get reliable information on population size and household data, the basic prerequisite for all development plans.
Dr Kazi Saleh Ahmed, a member of National Statistics Council, told BSS yesterday that academics and researchers of universities and research organisations, having theoretical and practical knowledge about the issue, could ensure authenticity of the census data.
In the past, he said, different local and international bodies expressed doubts about our census data and some of them even went to the extent of saying that the data was not acceptable.
Dr Kazi, also former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, said, “We are not the only ones saying this. International agencies who are funding the census also underscored the importance of involving an independent body during the post-enumeration period to ensure reliability, validly and accuracy of the census data.”
Professor of Statistics Department of Dhaka University Dr M Ataharul Islam said, “In every census in the past, we made mistakes by showing three percent or higher variation (more so in urban areas) while finalising the data after enumeration.”
This happened as data collectors were asked to crosscheck instead of an independent body for evaluating the strength of the data being enumerated, he said.
Prof Islam is a member of the 14-member expert committee formed by Bangladesh Statistical Council to make the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) more efficient by strengthening its core activities.
About the accuracy of the 2011 census to be held in March, he said that the upcoming census is very important for Bangladesh for adopting future plans to develop the country.
“I think there is no alternative to having an independent body during post-enumeration checking to get reliable data,” he added.
The BBS projection for 2001 to 2051 is based on the assumption that replacement level fertility will be achieved by the year 2011 but experts differ. They are of the opinion that there is no such trend and expressed the hope that if the government puts in extra effort it could be achieved before 2021.
According to the projection of BBS, the total population of the country will reach 15.14 crore by 2011, 17.17 crore by 2021 and 19.60 crore by 2031, 20.65 crore by 2041 and 21.87 crore by 2051.
Population scientist Prof Dr AKM Nurun Nabi said coming census is very much important, as it will work as a database, according to UN world population day theme “everyone counts”.
Since the population movement rate is much higher than natural increase, the question of migration is an important component of the main census questioner. Previous censuses of Bangladesh had questions on migration until '74 and but was later dropped. “As a consequence we don't have a continuity of data as well as missing the link in data between urbanisation and population growth,” he said.
Prof Nabi, also the founder chairman of Department of Population Sciences, Dhaka University, said, “We should be careful in formulating the questioner so that this important aspect is not missed again.”
For sustainable development, he said, “We need accurate data to ensure accuracy and the execution of the methodologies must be monitored properly and carefully.”
To ensure reliable data, Prof Nabi said, “A monitoring team consisting of statistician, population and social scientists, researches and academics during post enumeration checking is essential.”