Author:

Dr. Sankar Sarkar
Asstant Professor
Department in History
Balurghat Mahila Mahavidyalaya
Dakshin Dinajpur,West Bengal, India

Email: sankarsarkar406@gmail.com
Abstract: During the colonial period, Dinajpur district was predominantly Muslim. According to Hamilton’s account, the ratio of the Hindu and Muslim population was approximately 3:7, while the population belonging to other religious communities was insignificant. Over time, however, this demographic composition underwent gradual changes due to a variety of socio-economic and political factors. The demographic structure of West Dinajpur changed significantly following the Partition of India in 1947. According to the 1941 Census, Muslims constituted 38.51 per cent of the population in the area that later became West Dinajpur. However, the subsequent census recorded a decline of nearly 20,000 Muslims in absolute numbers, despite the general trend of population growth. Scholars have offered different explanations for this decline. One view attributes it to the devastating famine and epidemics of 1943–44, which caused substantial loss of life. Another explanation suggests that a considerable number of Muslims migrated to East Pakistan following Partition or were resettled in other parts of India. In the post-Partition period; the spatial distribution of the Muslim population also underwent noticeable changes. A significant proportion of the Muslim population became concentrated in specific pockets, particularly in the border areas adjoining East Pakistan.

Key Words: Census, Hindu, , Migration, Population, Partition, Religion etc.