Islam in West Bengal

According to the 2011 Census of India, the West Bengal state has over 24.6 million Bengali Muslims,[2] who form 27.01% of the state's population.[3] Bengali Muslims form the majority of the population in three districts: Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur.[4]

Muslims in West Bengal
Total population
24,654,825 (2011)[1]
27.01% of Population
Regions with significant populations
Majority in Murshidabad with 66.2%, Maldah with 51.3%, Uttar dinajpur with 50% as of 2011. Highest concentration in Birbhum with 37%, South 24 Parganas with 35.6%, Cooch Behar with 25.54% as of 2011.
Languages
Bengali and Urdu

Zohora Begum Mosque in Kolkata

Population

The Bengali Muslim population in West Bengal before 1947 was around 30% and during the time of independence, it went down to just 18% in West Bengal just after 1947 partition.[5] After partition of Bengal in 1947, the majority of Bengali Muslims from West Bengal have immigrated to East Pakistan, (Present-Day-Bangladesh). Estimates show that nearly 1,534,718 Bengali Muslims left West Bengal permanently for East Pakistan during 1947-1951.[6] However due to high birth rate the Muslim population in West Bengal has risen since independence. In the 1951 census, the Bengali Muslim population in West Bengal was recorded as 5,220,547 comprising 19.85% of the state population and in 2011 census, it had increased to 24,654,825 comprising 27.01% of the state population.

Population by district
Muslims in West Bengal by district (2011)[2]
#DistrictTotal populationMuslim population%
1Murshidabad7,103,8074,707,57366.88%
2South 24 Parganas8,161,9612,903,07535.57%
3North 24 Parganas10,009,7812,584,68425.82%
4Malda3,988,8452,045,15151.27%
5Bardhaman7,717,5631,599,76420.73%
6Uttar Dinajpur3,007,1341,501,17049.92%
7Nadia5,167,6001,382,68226.76%
8Birbhum3,502,4041,298,05437.06%
9Howrah4,850,0291,270,64126.20%
10Kolkata4,496,694926,41420.60%
11Hooghly5,519,145870,20415.77%
12Purba Medinipur5,095,875743,43614.59%
13Cooch Behar2,819,086720,03325.54%
14Paschim Medinipur5,913,457620,55410.49%
15Jalpaiguri3,872,846445,81711.51%
16Dakshin Dinajpur1,676,276412,78824.63%
17Bankura3,596,674290,4508.08%
18Purulia2,930,115227,2497.76%
19Darjeeling1,846,823105,0865.69%
##West Bengal (Total)91,276,11524,654,82527.01%

Growth rate

West Bengal had high growth in the Muslim population at 1.94 when compared to the rest of the country.[4]

Trends in Muslim population of West Bengal after Partition [7]
Census year% of total populationDecadal growthIncrease
1946 (Before partition)30.32%NANA
1947 (After partition)18.12%23.34%

-12.2%

195119.85%27.26%

+1.73%

196120%36.48%+0.15%
197120.46%29.76%+0.46%
198121.51%29.55%+1.05%
199123.61%36.89%+2.1%
200125.25%25.91%+1.64%
201127.01%21.80%+1.76%
Trends in Muslim population of West Bengal before Partition [8]
Census year% of total populationDecadal growthIncrease
190125.98%NANA
191126.31%NANA
192127.07%NANA
193128.65%NANA
194129.18%NANA
194630.32%NANA

Notable Bengali Muslims

Kolkata

Malda

Murshidabad

Hooghly

Burdwan

South 24 Parganas

See also

References
  1. Census of India - Religious Composition
  2. Population by religious community: West Bengal. 2011 Census of India.
  3. "Census 2011 shows Islam is the fastest growing religion in India". Mint. 26 August 2015.
  4. Saibal Sen (26 August 2015). "Bengal beats India in Muslim growth rate".
  5. http://www.newdelhitimes.com/demographic-changes-is-bengal-sitting-on-a-volcano
  6. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Bengal_(1947)#CITEREFChatterjee2007
  7. B.P. Syam Roy (28 September 2015). "Bengal's topsy-turvy population growth". The Statesman. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016.
  8. Nahid Kamal. "The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study" (PDF).
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