Islam in West Bengal

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Muslims in West Bengal
File:Muslims-WB.jpg
Total population
31,144,763 (2021)
(30% of the state population)Increase[1][2][3][4][5]
Regions with significant populations
Majority in Murshidabad with 66.2%, Maldah with 51.3%, Uttar dinajpur with 50%. Significant minority in Birbhum with 37%, South 24 Parganas with 35.6%, Howrah with 26.20%.
Languages
Bengali and Urdu
Zohora Begum Mosque in Kolkata

According to the (2021) estimation, the West Bengal state has over 31,144,763 Muslims, who form 30% of the state's population.[1][3][2][4][6] The Muslim population in West Bengal as per as latest past Indian census of (2011) was around 24,654,825 forming 27% of the state population.[7] Muslims form the majority of the population in three districts: Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur.[8]

Demography[edit]

Percentage and population of Muslims in West Bengal by decades[9][10]
Year Percentage (%) Muslim Population Star and Crescent.svg Total population
1901 29.44 3,954,776 16,940,088
1911 26.31 2,955,098 17,998,769
1921 26.07 4,101,516 17,474,348
1931 26.65 4,521,313 18,897,036
1941 26.18 5,506,442 23,229,552
1951 19.85 5,102,330 26,299,980
1961 20 6,915,348 34,926,279
1971 20.46 9,083,963 44,312,011
1981 21.51 11,743,209 54,580,647
1991 23.61 16,050,000 68,077,965
2001 25.25 20,240,543 80,176,197
2011 27 24,654,825 91,347,736
2021 30 31,144,763 103,815,877

Population[edit]

Historical Muslim Population
YearPop.±%
1901 3,954,776—    
1911 2,955,098−25.3%
1921 4,101,516+38.8%
1931 4,521,313+10.2%
1941 5,506,442+21.8%
1951 5,102,330−7.3%
1961 6,915,348+35.5%
1971 9,083,963+31.4%
1981 11,743,209+29.3%
1991 16,050,000+36.7%
2001 20,240,543+26.1%
2011 24,654,825+21.8%
2021 31,144,763+26.3%
Source: [10]

The Muslim population in West Bengal before 1947 partition was around 30%.[11] After partition of Bengal in 1947, some Muslims from West Bengal left for East Pakistan, (Present-Day-Bangladesh). Estimates show that 1,534,718 Muslim refugees from West Bengal settling permanently in East Pakistan during 1947–1951.[12]

Population by district (2011)[edit]

Muslims in West Bengal by district (2011)[13]
# District Total population Muslim population %
1 Murshidabad 7,103,807 4,707,573 66.88%
2 South 24 Parganas 8,161,961 2,903,075 35.57%
3 North 24 Parganas 10,009,781 2,584,684 25.82%
4 Malda 3,988,845 2,045,151 51.27%
5 Bardhaman 7,717,563 1,599,764 20.73%
6 Uttar Dinajpur 3,007,134 1,501,170 49.92%
7 Nadia 5,167,600 1,382,682 26.76%
8 Birbhum 3,502,404 1,298,054 37.06%
9 Howrah 4,850,029 1,270,641 26.20%
10 Kolkata 4,496,694 926,414 20.60%
11 Hooghly 5,519,145 870,204 15.77%
12 Purba Medinipur 5,095,875 743,436 14.59%
13 Cooch Behar 2,819,086 720,033 25.54%
14 Paschim Medinipur 5,913,457 620,554 10.49%
15 Jalpaiguri 3,872,846 445,817 11.51%
16 Dakshin Dinajpur 1,676,276 412,788 24.63%
17 Bankura 3,596,674 290,450 8.08%
18 Purulia 2,930,115 227,249 7.76%
19 Darjeeling 1,846,823 105,086 5.69%
## West Bengal (Total) 91,276,115 24,654,825 27.01%

Trends[edit]

Trends in Muslim population of West Bengal after Partition[14][10]
Census year % of total population Decadal growth Increase
1946 (Before partition) 30.32%[11] NA NA
1951 19.85% 27.26%

-10.47%

1961 20% 36.48% +0.15%
1971 20.46% 29.76% +0.46%
1981 21.51% 29.55% +1.05%
1991 23.61% 36.89% +2.1%
2001 25.25% 25.91% +1.64%
2011 27.01% 21.80% +1.76%
2021 30%[2] 26.30% +2.99%
Trends in Muslim population of West Bengal before Partition[10]
Census year % of total population Decadal growth Increase
1901 25.98% NA NA
1911 26.31% NA NA
1921 26.07% NA NA
1931 26.65% NA NA
1941 26.18% NA NA

Projections[edit]

According to the 2011 census, there were around 24.6 million Muslims living in West Bengal. Nearly 19 million are Bengali Muslims, constituting around 77% of the total Muslim population in the state, and they are mainly concentrated in rural areas. The Urdu-speaking Muslims live mainly in Kolkata and other urban areas of West Bengal.[15] Their percentage in the population has remained largely stable, from 30.3% in 1946 (before partition) to again regaining 30.05% in 2021 as the same status just they have before partition of Bengal in 1947.[3][2][12] Furthermore, the Muslim decadal growth rate has decreased over the last three decades, owing to a fall in fertility rates.[16][17]

Notable Muslims from West Bengal[edit]

Kolkata[edit]

Malda[edit]

Murshidabad[edit]

Hooghly[edit]

Burdwan[edit]

South 24 Parganas[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/west-bengal-population.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "West Bengal assembly elections: Why getting Muslims votes could be tough for Mamata Banerjee". Times of India.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/why-the-30-muslim-vote-share-is-crucial-in-bengal-explains-robin-roy
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.indiacensus.net/states/west-bengal
  5. ↑ Census of India - Religious Composition
  6. ↑ "Census 2011 shows Islam is the fastest growing religion in India". Mint. 26 August 2015.
  7. ↑ https://core.ac.uk › pdfPDF Muslims of West Bengal - CORE
  8. ↑ Saibal Sen (26 August 2015). "Bengal beats India in Muslim growth rate".
  9. ↑ https://m.statisticstimes.com/demographics/india/west-bengal-population.php
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Nahid Kamal. "The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study" (PDF).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Muslims of West Bengal" (PDF). core.ac.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chatterji, Joya (2007). The Spoils of Partition: Bengal and India, 1947–1967. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-46830-5.
  13. ↑ Population by religious community: West Bengal. 2011 Census of India.
  14. ↑ B.P. Syam Roy (28 September 2015). "Bengal's topsy-turvy population growth". The Statesman. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016.
  15. ↑ https://m.timesofindia.com/india/west-bengal-elections-2021-mamata-banerjee-and-muslim-votes/articleshow/81700787.cms
  16. ↑ https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/condition-of-muslims-in-west-bengal-a-reality-check-ahead-of-west-bengal-assembly-elections-2021/article33887344.ece
  17. ↑ Ghosh, Subhanil Chowdhury & Saswata. "Condition of Muslims in West Bengal: A reality check". Frontline. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

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