India-Bangladesh (1st part): Dwindling Hindu Population in Bangladesh

It is fact that the population % of Hindus in Bangladesh are decreasing progressively. Why? Let us see the table below and discuss.

Year	% Hindu
1947	30
1951	22.05
1961	18.5
1974	13.5
1981	12.13
1991	10.51
2001	9.20
2011	8.96
2017	10.7

The decline of Hindu population between 1947 and 1951 was on expected lines due to the division of the country and a large section of Hindus preferred to come back to India. Marwaris who had business connections in Calcutta and property in Rajasthan and allied areas were quick to come back along with financially sound Bengali Hindus.

As India started developing and Pakistan started persecuting Hindus, the East Bengali Hindus started feeling insecure. So the migration of Hindus continued basically on double grounds of persecution by majority community of Pakistan and the greater livelihood opportunities in India. Thus from 22% Hindus in 1951, the population dwindled to around 15% in 1971.

As there was no census in 1971 in Pakistan due to Liberation war in East Pakistan, the Hindu % figures are available from 1974 only when it declined to 13.5%. This was due to the severe onslaught on both Hindus and Bengali speaking Muslims by Pak Army during liberation war and as such Hindus came back to India in large numbers. But after liberation was accomplished a sizable Bengali Hindu population went back to Bangladesh with assurances from Sheikh Mujib.

Thereafter too, the Hindu population kept dwindling slowly because of Hindus coming to India for better livelihood opportunities as India was a very big country (22 times the size of Bangladesh).  However, due to the same livelihood issues, a small portion of poor Muslims too started migrating to India, particularly the WB. They came without Via-Passport route by illegally crossing the land border. To me, it was always surprising that in spite of 41 battalions of BSF with 45000 paramilitaries on guard for 2200 KM of the border between the two countries, how such infiltration could take place.

Although the atmosphere in Bangladesh is posing no threat to the life of Hindus, there will still be a trickle of Hindus and even some Muslims migrating to India and Hindu population there may dwindle further, remain stagnant or may rise slightly (as has happened between 2011-17) depending on livelihood opportunities in India and Bangladesh as well as quality of vigil on the borders.