Lecture-12

Demographic studies of Bangladesh

 Definition
Demography is the statistical study of human populations especially
with reference to size and density.
• Demography (from prefix demo- from Ancient Greek δῆμος dēmos
meaning "the people", and -graphy from γράφω graphō, implies
"writing, description or measurement" is the statistical study of
populations, especially human beings.
Demography encompasses the study of the size, structure, and
distribution of these populations, and spatial or temporal changes in
them in response to birth, migration, ageing, and death.
 People of Bangladesh:

• Bangladesh is largely ethnically homogeneous, and its name derives

from the Bengali ethno-linguistic group which comprises 98% of the
population. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, Mymensingh and
North Bengal divisions are home to diverse indigenous peoples.
There are many dialects of Bengali spoken throughout the region.
The dialect spoken by those in Chittagong and Sylhet are
particularly distinctive. The population is estimated at 169 million
(2015). About 87% of Bangladeshis are Muslims, followed by Hindus
(12%), Buddhists (1%) and Christians (0.5%).
 People of Bangladesh

• Bangladesh has the highest population density in the world.

• The current population of Bangladesh is 164,712,137 as of Sunday,
June 11, 2017, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
• Bangladesh population is equivalent to 2.19% of the total world
population.
• Bangladesh ranks number 8 in the list of countries (and
dependencies) by population.
• The population density in Bangladesh is 1266 per Km2 (3,279
people per mi2).
• The total land area is 130,172 Km2 (50,260 sq. miles)
• 35.6 % of the population is urban (58,746,319 people in 2017)
• The median age in Bangladesh is 26 years
 Demographic Components

• Population change results from the interaction of demographic

components: birth, death and migration. Therefore, demography
deals with the detailed study of the three components. With the
measurement of such components, various aspects of the
population are analyzed and interpreted.
• It helps to plan and implement various development activities.
Birth, death and migration are called demographic component, as
well as the determining elements of population change because
they affect the situation of the population. Therefore, the size of
the population depends mainly upon birth, death and migration.
The components are-
• Fertility
• Mortality
• Migration
Fertility:

Birth is an important component mainly related to Demographic Components

fertility in the study of population education.
Fertility deals with the birth. The population growth
of a place/country depends upon fertility because
the country with high level of fertility has a rapid
growth of population. Fertility refers to the
reproductive function. It is the ability to bear
offspring. It is the production of live birth which
starts when a woman gives the first birth. Its period
is generally 15-49 years of age. Likewise, fecundity is
the physical capacity to participate in reproduction.
Fertility results in the birth. It is measured by the
actual number of births.

The birth rate is the total number of live births per

1,000 of a population in a year.

Birth Rate: 19 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Fertility Rate: 2.19 children born/woman (2016 est.)

 Demographic Components
Mortality:
According to World Health
Organization (WHO), "Death is the
permanent disappearance of all
evidence of life at any time after birth
has taken place." It is a natural
process. The process of birth and
death goes on incessantly. People die
at different ages for different reasons.
People die of different diseases and in
several accidents. This is a perpetual
process. This process causes the
decline in population.

The Death Rate is the number of

deaths per 1000 of a population,

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000

population (2016 est.)
 Demographic Components

Migration:

Migration means the

movements of people
from place to place. The
movement of people
inside the country is
called national
migration like Dhaka to
Chittagong. And the
movement of people
from one country to
another is called
international migration
like Bangladesh to
China.
 Migration
• Movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better
living conditions
• Migration is the movement from one part of something to another.
• The term migrant can be understood as “any person who lives temporarily or
permanently in a country where he or she was not born, and has acquired
some significant social ties to this country”.
Causes of migration:
Migration is a complex process and has been a feature of human societies for
many centuries. There are many reasons why people choose to migrate,
including:
– Poverty
– Armed conflict
– Social strife
– Political turmoil
– Economic hardships
 Factors of Migration
There are two types of factors of migration. 1. Push factor 2. Pull factor
The factors are discussed below:
• Push factors - are the reasons why people leave an area. Push factors are
those associated with the area of origin. They include-
Social and political –
• Lack of employment
• intolerance based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation
• Poor Medical Care
• Lack of political rights
• Lack of freedom to choose religion, or to choose no religion
• Land Lord Issues
• Internal conflict and war
• Poverty and low incomes
 Factors of Migration
Economic
• Slavery or Forced
• Labour
• Loss of Wealth
• Excess Taxation
• Discrimination
Environmental
• Natural disaster
• Extreme environmental condition
• Limited natural resources
• Sea level rising
• Air quality or weather
 Factors of Migration
• Pull factors- are the reasons why people move to a particular area. Pull
factors are those that are associated with the area of destination. They
include:
• Social & Political
• Better Living Conditions
• The feeling of having more political and religious freedom
• Recreational facilities
• Education
• Better Medical care
• Security
• Better chances of marriage
• Cheap purchase of farmland
• Join friends and relatives who have already moved
• Cultural opportunities
 Factors of Migration
• Economic
• Enough Job opportunities
• Security
• Industrialization
• Higher pay
• Instant wealth
Environmental
• Suitable Environmental condition
• Availability of natural resources
 Migration scenario of Bangladesh

• In case of migration of Bangladeshi people the above factors work

together.
Migration from Bangladesh is basically for work. And work will
professional or labor related work. The % of worker is 92% of total
migrants from 1976 to 2013 as BMET says. Whereas only 2.4% for study
but dependency rate is higher than that of study rate. Dependency rate is
3.81%. Only 1.8% emigrates for other reasons like living of for treatment.
See the figure below which explains the total proportion of reasons.
Migration scenario of Bangladesh

Migration % by reason
2.4 1.8
3.8

work
study
dependents
others
92
 Political
1. Discrimination/persecution
2. Governance/ Freedom
3. Conflict/ Insecurity
4. Policy incentives
5.Direct coercion
Environmental
Exposure to hazard, ecosystem services Demographic
including 1. Population size/density
1. Land productivity
2. Population Structure
2.Habitability
3. Disease Prevalence
3. Food/Energy Water security

Economic

Social 1. Employment opportunities

1. Seeking education 2. Income/ wages/ well being

2. Family/keen obligations 3. Producer Prices (e.g. agriculture)

4. Consumer price
Climate change divers
Flood, cyclone, river
erosion, sea level rise

Saline water intrusion,

rising temperature

drought
 Effects of migration
For the country loosing people:
Advantages Disadvantages

Fewer people to be fed and housed Loss of young and most able

Income sent home Loss of young men creates an unbalanced population structure

Reduces pressure on jobs and resources Loss of working age people

Loss of those most likely to have education and skills

Division of families

Elderly population remains, so there's a higher death rate

 Effects of migration
For the country gaining people:
Advantages Disadvantages

Cheap labour Language problems

Helps overcome labour shortages Racial / ethnic tensions

Immigrants are often prepared to do unskilled jobs Jobs lost to incoming workers

Some immigrants are highly skilled Loss of those most likely to have education and skills

Pressure on housing and services. Immigrants tend to be less healthy, placing

Cultural diversity
strain on the health service, and they tend to live in low quality housing

Limited skills/education in immigrant population

Effects of overpopulation

• Depletion of Natural
Resources
• Degradation of Environment
• Conflicts and Wars
• Rise in Unemployment
• High Cost of Living
• Food, housing, employment
limitation
• Communication
• Poverty
Steps to solve the problem

Family planning

Mass education

Stop early marriage