Dhaka, Oct. 4 -- In any country, numbers are more than just numbers. They are the foundation upon which policies are designed, economies are managed, and futures are planned.

Population figures determine everything from per capita income to the allocation of health resources. Agricultural output data informs food security strategies. Employment figures shape education policy and skill development.

But when these numbers themselves are in question, the very foundation of governance begins to crumble. Bangladesh today faces precisely this problem: a crisis of trust in its statistics.

Nowhere is this crisis more visible than in the simple but fundamental question-how many people live in the country? Depending on which official source one ...