DHAKA, Jan 28, 2025 (BSS) - The total number of ethnic population in Sherpur is 20,840 while the ethnic household size in Sherpur district is 3.84.

These were disclosed at the dissemination event of Sherpur Ethnic Survey (SES) 2024 held at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in the capital’s Agargaon area today.

Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain spoke at the event as the chief guest while Statistics and Informatics Division Additional Secretary Md Hamidul Haque, Cultural Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary Md Farhad Siddique and Deputy Commissioner of Sherpur Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman spoke as special guests.

Director General of BBS Mohammad Mizanur Rahman presided over the event while project director of SES Farhana Sultana made a power-point presentation on the findings of the survey.

Statistics and Informatics Division Joint Secretary Dr Dipankar Roy moderated the event while Focal Point official of Poverty and Livelihood Statistics Cell, BBS, Mohiuddin Ahmed gave the address of welcome.

The BBS conducted Sherpur Ethnic Survey (SES) 2024 on small ethnic groups at Sherpur District in Bangladesh. The main survey was conducted during 30 May to 13 June, in 2024.

This is the first official dedicated survey in Bangladesh focusing on small ethnic groups. In SES 2024, in order to conduct the survey, the BBS engaged qualified enumerators, provided hands on training to the enumerators, introduced CAPI, Improved data collection tools and implemented continuous monitoring and supervision during data collection period. 

The Key Findings for SES 2024 are as follows: The survey finds that the average household size of the Sherpur Ethnic community is 3.84. The access to electricity is 98.32% at household-level. Among them, 97.77% of the households are accessing electricity from the national grid and only 0.55% accessing from solar system. 

But, 1.68% of the household has no electricity. Similarly, 87.15% of HHs have access to improved toilet facilities, and 97.33% have access to improved source of drinking water.

Literacy rate (7 years and above) of the ethnic people in Sherpur District is 64.08%, where literacy among male (69 13%) is higher than that of females (59.07%) and Hajong is found to be the highest literate ethnic group (73.41%) followed by Garo (66.13%). 

On the other hand, the majority of its ethnic people reported passed class VI-IX with 21.77% and 35.77% has reported as never attended school.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said that this survey is a ‘good work’ by the BBS while a feedback event could be held where the concerned stakeholders and ethnic population could give their feedbacks.

Cultural Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary Md Farhad Siddique said that based on the survey findings, the Cultural Affairs Ministry could work on how to bring the diversity of food habits and clothing of the ethnic population in the mainstream of culture.

He also opined that a cultural center or academy could be set up in Sherpur like in Mymensingh and Netrakona highlighting on the ethnic people.

Deputy Commissioner of Sherpur Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman said that based on the findings of the survey, he would sit soon with the concerned departments and stakeholders on how to improve the living standards and social-economic condition of the ethnic population in Sherpur.

 At district level, the majority of household income of the ethnic is found from the agriculture, accounting for 65.02%, and services accounting for 21.38%, which was the second largest income generating sector of the ethnic people in Sherpur. 

It is notable that, 1.42% of the household depends on remittance as main sources of income. At district level, 0.53% of the ethnic people received foreign remittance in the last 12 months and 21.11% of the household receiving domestic remittance.

At upazila level, the domestic remittance receiving household is found the highest percentage at Jhenaigati Upazila (28.6%), followed by Nalitabari (21.1%). 

At district level, 1.84% of the ethnic people has at least one category of disability in Sherpur district. 

 At upazila level, ethnic people of Nalitabari Upazila (2.51%) has at least one disability followed by Nakla (1.51%). 

At district level, the employment rate is 51.84% among the age 15 years and above. More than 70.10% of the male are employed while one third (33.94%) of females are employed in Sherpur. 

At district level, the unemployment rate is 3.80% for the age 10 years and above. At district level, 24.73% of the population for age group 15-24 years is completely not in education, employment or training.