The population of Bangladesh stands at 15.25 crore, and not 14.97 crore, according the final report of the 5th Population and Household Census held in 2011, released by president, Zillur Rahman on Monday.
According to the final census report prepared by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics the country’s population stood at 15,25,18,015 in 2011 when the census took place --- 7,63,50,518 of them males and 7,61,67,497 females.
According to the tentative report released by the bureau of statics following the census held on March 15, 2011 the country’s population stood at 14, 97,72,364 with a male-female ratio of 100.3:100.
The president released the report by posting it on the statistics bureau’s website at a function at Bangabhaban. 
The final census report says population of Bangladesh grew by 1.37 percent annually in the past decade, 0.21 percentage point less than 1.58 per cent in the previous decade ending 2001.
Although the enumerators collected data regarding 25 areas, the final report only showed distribution of population according to male-female ratio and numbers, literacy rate, ethnic population, density of population and the number of households and their sizes.
According to the report density of population stands at 1,015 people per square kilometre and the literacy rate of the people aged seven years and above at 51.8 per cent.
It says the number of ethnic people stands at 15,86,141.
It says the number of people with disabilities stands at 20,26,612.
The preliminary report released on July 16, 2011 said the population stood at 14.23 crore triggering widespread criticism.
The resulting post-enumeration check conducted
by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies found 3.97 per cent errors in the count which means 57 lakh people were not enumerated.
The Bureau of Statistics bureau prepared the final results after reviewing the preliminary counts to rectify the errors.
The census project director, Ashim Kumar Dey, said that the Bureau of Statistics rectified the errors by making adjustments between the preliminary census report on the basis of growth rate.
Dhaka University population sciences professor AKM Nurun Nabi told New Age that it was expected that the final report would be prepared by making such adjustments.
He described the final report as ‘though it seems closer to the reality but it is not real.’
Nabi pointed out that the report failed to the distribution of urban and rural population and said it would affect the future planning.
He also criticised the short summery of the national report as it only contains only a few of the 25 indicators for which the enumeration had collected data.
‘If one wants to get some idea, one will have to study 64 reports,’ he said.
Nabi said the post-enumeration check found only 3.97 per cent of errors and it would be more accurate if samples were collected covering more areas.
He also pointed out that the monitoring process of the primary count was not up to the mark. 
The five-day population census had begun with 3.10 lak enumerators counting the floating population one minute past midnight on March 14, 2011.
The census ended on March 19, 2011.
The UN Population Fund in its World Population Report 2011 on October 26, 2011 estimated the country’s population at 15.05 crore. 
The UNFPA’s World Population Report of 2010 estimated Bangladesh’s population at 16.44 crore.
Several MPs, ministers, National Human Rights Commission and rights activists raised questions about the authenticity of the census process and the preliminary report as Bangladesh’s enclave population, the transgender people and more than 40 ethnic groups were left out.
The first population census in the subcontinent was conducted in 1872. Since then, census was conducted almost regularly at an interval of 10 years.
The Election Commission rules make it mandatory to update the electoral rolls based on the basis of census reports.
After independence, population and household censuses were conducted in 1974, 1981, 1991 and 2001.
According to the fourth census, the number of households was about 2.54 crore and the population was 12.43 crore.