Population census campaign from today, counting begins Mar 15 Minister, others spell out its importance
FE Report | Tuesday, 1 March 2011
FE Report
The countdown to the fifth population census begins today (Tuesday) that will lead to enumeration of the country's total population by visiting houses and every nook and cranny from March 15. Planning Minister AK Khandakar launched the countdown at a function on Monday saying, "with this, the boat begins sailing for its destination." "We have fifteen days to go to start the population census, held every 10 years," he said, urging everyone to make the important event a success and the best among the last four censuses. The minister said population census bears extreme importance as its data will be necessary for all kinds of development plans to be undertaken in the future. What the nation is required to do after five years, for example in the primary education -- the funds, total primary-level students, teachers, infrastructure etc., cannot be planned without the accuracy of a census, he said. He, however, drew attention to the shortcomings in the campaign activity and urged all concerned to utilise the next 15 days with dedication to make the people aware of the important national event for an accurate population data. "We want to make the population census 2011 the best of those we have had so far," Mr Khandaker told the function as chief guest. Chaired by Statistics Division Secretary Riti Ibrahim, the function was also addressed by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Information Secretary Hedayetullal Al Mamoon, UN Resident Coordinator and UN Population Fund representative Arthur Erken and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Director General Shahjahan Ali Mollah. The Statistics Division Secretary said, in order to make the 2011 census more accurate and acceptable than the last four censuses, a few new features like digital maps, enumeration area maps for each enumerator and supervisor, audio-visual training, involvement of a third party to conduct post-enumeration check (PEC), special training, and the shortest report submission period have been incorporated in the programme. She said the preliminary report of the census will be submitted within three months, PEC report, within six months, urban area and demographic reports, within 18 months and district census and community reports, within 24 months. "The final administrative report will be submitted by December 2013 which was earlier used to take four years," the secretary added. The DG of BBS elaborated on the census plan and said a massive campaign would be carried out across the country in the coming 15 days through the mass media, field publicity, documentary show, short message service by mobile phone operators, posters, festoons etc. He said the census moment is counted from the zero hour on March 15 and the census period spans from March 15 to 19. The floating people will be counted from the zero hour to 6am on the first day, he added. He said census will be conducted through census committees at different levels with a manpower of 130 district census coordinators, 150 upazila/thana census coordinators, 2610 zonal officers, 57000 supervisors and 310,000 enumerators.
The countdown to the fifth population census begins today (Tuesday) that will lead to enumeration of the country's total population by visiting houses and every nook and cranny from March 15. Planning Minister AK Khandakar launched the countdown at a function on Monday saying, "with this, the boat begins sailing for its destination." "We have fifteen days to go to start the population census, held every 10 years," he said, urging everyone to make the important event a success and the best among the last four censuses. The minister said population census bears extreme importance as its data will be necessary for all kinds of development plans to be undertaken in the future. What the nation is required to do after five years, for example in the primary education -- the funds, total primary-level students, teachers, infrastructure etc., cannot be planned without the accuracy of a census, he said. He, however, drew attention to the shortcomings in the campaign activity and urged all concerned to utilise the next 15 days with dedication to make the people aware of the important national event for an accurate population data. "We want to make the population census 2011 the best of those we have had so far," Mr Khandaker told the function as chief guest. Chaired by Statistics Division Secretary Riti Ibrahim, the function was also addressed by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Information Secretary Hedayetullal Al Mamoon, UN Resident Coordinator and UN Population Fund representative Arthur Erken and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Director General Shahjahan Ali Mollah. The Statistics Division Secretary said, in order to make the 2011 census more accurate and acceptable than the last four censuses, a few new features like digital maps, enumeration area maps for each enumerator and supervisor, audio-visual training, involvement of a third party to conduct post-enumeration check (PEC), special training, and the shortest report submission period have been incorporated in the programme. She said the preliminary report of the census will be submitted within three months, PEC report, within six months, urban area and demographic reports, within 18 months and district census and community reports, within 24 months. "The final administrative report will be submitted by December 2013 which was earlier used to take four years," the secretary added. The DG of BBS elaborated on the census plan and said a massive campaign would be carried out across the country in the coming 15 days through the mass media, field publicity, documentary show, short message service by mobile phone operators, posters, festoons etc. He said the census moment is counted from the zero hour on March 15 and the census period spans from March 15 to 19. The floating people will be counted from the zero hour to 6am on the first day, he added. He said census will be conducted through census committees at different levels with a manpower of 130 district census coordinators, 150 upazila/thana census coordinators, 2610 zonal officers, 57000 supervisors and 310,000 enumerators.