2011 census has about 4.0pc population out of coverage

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FE Report
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Monday said the much-talked-about population and housing census of 2011 has nearly 4.0 per cent population out of coverage.
The public think-tank said the census should add at least 5.7 million population to the final report making it closer to the real figure.
The BIDS disclosed the post enumeration check (PEC) survey findings at its office in the city.
The national statistics office conducted the country's fifth population and housing census during March 15-19 in 2011.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in its preliminary report released on July 16 last year showed the country's total population at 142.319 million, sparking criticism by many for 'inaccurate population counting'.
The BIDS conducted PEC survey as part of the main census during April of 2011 in 280 sample enumeration areas to evaluate the coverage and quality of the data collected through the census.
BIDS Director General Mustafa K Mujeri said: "We took one year to complete the survey as we went twice to many sample areas with high errors."
Mr Mujeri said the country's population will be closer to the real figure if the BBS adds 3.97 per cent or 5.7 million population to its final report.
"We hired professional enumerators and other officials who find out the real error percentage," Mr Mujeri added.
BBS Director General Md Shahjahan Ali Mollah, who was present during the unveiling of the survey report, said the statistical office will announce its final report some time in June next.
Mr Mollah said they had found some un-counted data which are now being added to the preliminary result.
"We're not disclosing the figure of un-counted data right at this moment," the BBS chief added.
"The total population will be even more once we finalise the results of the census," the BBS director general said.
He however added that during the 2001 population census, the BBS found over 1.2 million population as un-counted after the preliminary result.
The BBS chief said everyone should have confidence on the population census of 2011.
"We've done it with the highest integrity," Mr Mollah added.
The largest error was registered in municipality areas at 5.256 per cent, the survey said.
The error was 4.073 per cent at upazila level, 3.799 per cent in rural areas and 3.857 per cent at city corporation areas.
The BBS director general said the US Census Bureau provided them with modern software and scanners to prepare the population data.
The European Union and UNFPA are giving financial assistance, apart from that coming from the government, he added.
He claimed that the enumerators went door to door to collect data from people who stayed in Bangladesh during the census period.
They also counted the floating people at night, the BBS DG added.
However, BIDS conducted survey in 140 rural areas, 20 upazila headquarters, 60 municipality areas and 60 city corporation areas.
BIDS enumerators took data from 33,600 households of the 280 sample sizes.
BIDS said information collected through the PEC matched with the information collected through the main census.
Many raised questions earlier about the integrity of the BBS. For this the state-owned think-tank was assigned to do post enumeration check for the first time.