ABSTRACT
The most interesting fact revealed by the census of 1872 was the enormous host of Muhammadans resident in Lower Bengal-not massed around the old capitals, but in the alluvial plains of the delta. In Dacca, for instance, the Muhammadans were very slightly in excess of the Hindus; in Maldah they formed 46 per cent of the population; in Murshídábád 45 per cent and in Patna only 12 per cent. On the other hand, in the swampy tracts of Báqirganj, Tipperah and Mymensingh they comprised nearly 54 per cent of the people. This result was unexpected and contrary to the conclusions arrived at from earlier inquiries, which, though obviously defective, were generally accepted as almost correct.
