Bangladesh’s technology would able to collect real-time data for live censuses soon: Mannan

Bangladesh has technology with which it would be able to collect real-time data for live censuses in near future, said Planning Minister MA Mannan.

"I think the need to do five yearly or ten yearly censuses will no longer require soon as now we have the technology in our hands through which real-time statistics can be known," the minister said.

He was talking to a wiener titled Census 2021: Divided and Inclusive Statistics of Indigenous Peoples organised by the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and Bonik Barta.

"For example, with a click, we will know about the population, livestock of my upazila of South Sunamganj. We shall have a running figure of all vital statistics every, every second," he said.

After the completion of the Sixth National and Household Census, which was deferred to October from January due to pandemic, a pilot project will be conducted with an upazila and a one-year real-time vital statistics will be updated, he said.

"Then, a mega project will be taken to know all real-time vital statistics for five thousand unions all over the country."

Mannan said there were doubts in the minds of the people about the credibility of statistics in the past. "But now it is over."

He said the government will consider conducting a small and quick census for ethnic groups.

In the past censuses and household surveys, there was misinformation about ethnic people, said Chakma Raja Devasish Roy.

"We believe that there are more than 50 ethnic groups in the country, all the data of these groups should be mentioned in the upcoming national census," he added.

Fazle Hossain Badsha, a lawmaker, and Khushi Kabir, Chairperson of the ALRD, also spoke at the programme.