Historical chart and dataset showing total population for Bangladesh by year from 1950 to 2025.

The total population in Bangladesh was estimated at 171.6 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Bangladesh Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

2014 Upazila-level demographic data for Bangladesh. Variables include total population, total households, average household size, and breakdowns by gender and age.

Bangladesh BD: Population: Growth data was reported at 1.222 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.024 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 1.888 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2023, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.944 % in 1968 and a record low of 0.815 % in 2021. Bangladesh BD: Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.;Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years).;Weighted average;

Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata. DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Africa SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743. FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.

In 2023, approximately 25.5 percent of the population in Bangladesh was aged up to 14 years old. This was a decrease from 2014, when over 30 percent of the population in Bangladesh was aged up to 14 years old.

Bangladesh BD: Population: Total data was reported at 171,466,990.000 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 169,384,897.000 Person for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Population: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 114,869,650.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 171,466,990.000 Person in 2023 and a record low of 51,828,660.000 Person in 1960. Bangladesh BD: Population: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years).;Sum;Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

In 1800, the population of the area of modern-day Bangladesh was estimated to be just over 19 million, a figure which would rise steadily throughout the 19th century, reaching over 26 million by 1900. At the time, Bangladesh was the eastern part of the Bengal region in the British Raj, and had the most-concentrated Muslim population in the subcontinent's east. At the turn of the 20th century, the British colonial administration believed that east Bengal was economically lagging behind the west, and Bengal was partitioned in 1905 as a means of improving the region's development. East Bengal then became the only Muslim-majority state in the eastern Raj, which led to socioeconomic tensions between the Hindu upper classes and the general population. Bengal Famine During the Second World War, over 2.5 million men from across the British Raj enlisted in the British Army and their involvement was fundamental to the war effort. The war, however, had devastating consequences for the Bengal region, as the famine of 1943-1944 resulted in the deaths of up to three million people (with over two thirds thought to have been in the east) due to starvation and malnutrition-related disease. As the population boomed in the 1930s, East Bengal's mismanaged and underdeveloped agricultural sector could not sustain this growth; by 1942, food shortages spread across the region, millions began migrating in search of food and work, and colonial mismanagement exacerbated this further. On the brink of famine in early-1943, authorities in India called for aid and permission to redirect their own resources from the war effort to combat the famine, however these were mostly rejected by authorities in London. While the exact extent of each of these factors on causing the famine remains a topic of debate, the general consensus is that the British War Cabinet's refusal to send food or aid was the most decisive. Food shortages did not dissipate until late 1943, however famine deaths persisted for another year. Partition to independence Following the war, the movement for Indian independence reached its final stages as the process of British decolonization began. Unrest between the Raj's Muslim and Hindu populations led to the creation of two separate states in1947; the Muslim-majority regions became East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan), separated by the Hindu-majority India. Although East Pakistan's population was larger, power lay with the military in the west, and authorities grew increasingly suppressive and neglectful of the eastern province in the following years. This reached a tipping point when authorities failed to respond adequately to the Bhola cyclone in 1970, which claimed over half a million lives in the Bengal region, and again when they failed to respect the results of the 1970 election, in which the Bengal party Awami League won the majority of seats. Bangladeshi independence was claimed the following March, leading to a brutal war between East and West Pakistan that claimed between 1.5 and three million deaths in just nine months. The war also saw over half of the country displaced, widespread atrocities, and the systematic rape of hundreds of thousands of women. As the war spilled over into India, their forces joined on the side of Bangladesh, and Pakistan was defeated two weeks later. An additional famine in 1974 claimed the lives of several hundred thousand people, meaning that the early 1970s was one of the most devastating periods in the country's history. Independent Bangladesh In the first decades of independence, Bangladesh's political hierarchy was particularly unstable and two of its presidents were assassinated in military coups. Since transitioning to parliamentary democracy in the 1990s, things have become comparatively stable, although political turmoil, violence, and corruption are persistent challenges. As Bangladesh continues to modernize and industrialize, living standards have increased and individual wealth has risen. Service industries have emerged to facilitate the demands of Bangladesh's developing economy, while manufacturing industries, particularly textiles, remain strong. Declining fertility rates have seen natural population growth fall in recent years, although the influx of Myanmar's Rohingya population due to the displacement crisis has seen upwards of one million refugees arrive in the country since 2017. In 2020, it is estimated that Bangladesh has a population of approximately 165 million people.

Population growth (annual %) in Bangladesh was reported at 1.2217 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The population density in Bangladesh reached its highest in 2020, amounting to approximately 1.27 thousand people per square kilometer. The South Asian country was the tenth most densely populated country in the world in 2019. Within the Asia Pacific region, Bangladesh’s population density was only exceeded by Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Maldives. Overall, Asia had the highest population density in the world in 2018.

Population growth in Bangladesh

In 1971, Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan. Bangladesh’s birth rate and mortality rate had declined significantly in the past years with a life expectancy of 72.59 years in 2019. In general, the population in Bangladesh had been growing at a slow pace, slightly fluctuating around an annual rate of one percent. This growth was forecasted to continue, although it was estimated to halve by 2040. As of today, Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh.

Population density explained

According to the source, “population density is the mid-year population divided by land area in square kilometers.” Further, “population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents.” Bangladesh’s population reached an estimated number of 164.69 million inhabitants in 2020. In 2018, the country’s land area amounted 130.2 thousand square kilometers.

Key information about Bangladesh population

• The Bangladesh population reached 169.3 million people in Jun 2021, compared with the previously reported figure of 167.4 million people in Jun 2020
• The data reached an all-time high of 169.3 million people in Jun 2021 and a record low of 108.7 million people in Jun 1990

The total population of Bangladesh was estimated at approximately 172.02 million people in 2024. Following a continuous upward trend, the total population has risen by around 92.38 million people since 1980. Between 2024 and 2030, the total population will rise by around 9.75 million people, continuing its consistent upward trajectory.This indicator describes the total population in the country at hand. This total population of the country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Bangladesh (SPPOPGROWBGD) from 1961 to 2024 about Bangladesh, population, and rate.

Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) in Bangladesh was reported at 27.99 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Population ages 0-14 (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.


Bespoke methods used to produce datasets for specific individual countries are available through the WorldPop Open Population Repository (WOPR) link below. These are 100m resolution gridded population estimates using customized methods ("bottom-up" and/or "top-down") developed for the latest data available from each country. They can also be visualised and explored through the woprVision App.
The remaining datasets in the links below are produced using the "top-down" method, with either the unconstrained or constrained top-down disaggregation method used. Please make sure you read the Top-down estimation modelling overview page to decide on which datasets best meet your needs. Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 3 and 30 arc-seconds (approximately 100m and 1km at the equator, respectively):

- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019)
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).
-Unconstrained global mosaics 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Mosaiced 1km resolution versions of the "Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020" datasets.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).

Older datasets produced for specific individual countries and continents, using a set of tailored geospatial inputs and differing "top-down" methods and time periods are still available for download here: Individual countries and Whole Continent.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00645

IPUMS-International is an effort to inventory, preserve, harmonize, and disseminate census microdata from around the world. The project has collected the world's largest archive of publicly available census samples. The data are coded and documented consistently across countries and over time to facillitate comparative research. IPUMS-International makes these data available to qualified researchers free of charge through a web dissemination system. The IPUMS project is a collaboration of the Minnesota Population Center, National Statistical Offices, and international data archives. Major funding is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Additional support is provided by the University of Minnesota Office of the Vice President for Research, the Minnesota Population Center, and Sun Microsystems.

Historical chart and dataset showing Bangladesh population density by year from 1961 to 2022.

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 15 to 64 for Bangladesh (SPPOP1564TOZSBGD) from 1960 to 2024 about Bangladesh, 15 to 64 years, and population.

Abstract

The 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (2022 BDHS) is the ninth national survey to report on the demographic and health conditions of women and their families in Bangladesh. The survey was conducted under the authority of the National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT), Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of Bangladesh.

The primary objective of the 2022 BDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the BDHS collected information on: • Fertility and childhood mortality levels • Fertility preferences • Awareness, approval, and use of family planning methods • Maternal and child health, including breastfeeding practices • Nutrition levels • Newborn care

The information collected through the 2022 BDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in designing and evaluating programs and strategies for improving the health of the population of Bangladesh. The survey also provides indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Bangladesh.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49 and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2022 BDHS is the Integrated Multi-Purpose Sampling Master Sample, selected from a complete list of enumeration areas (EAs) covering the whole country. It was prepared by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) for the 2011 population census of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The sampling frame contains information on EA location, type of residence (city corporation, other than city corporation, or rural), and the estimated number of residential households. A sketch map that delineates geographic boundaries is available for each EA.

Bangladesh contains eight administrative divisions: Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet. Each division is divided into zilas and each zila into upazilas. Each urban area in an upazila is divided into wards, which are further subdivided into mohallas. A rural area in an upazila is divided into union parishads (UPs) and, within UPs, into mouzas. These administrative divisions allow the country to be separated into rural and urban areas.

The survey is based on a two-stage stratified sample of households. In the first stage, 675 EAs (237 in urban areas and 438 in rural areas) were selected with probability proportional to EA size. The BBS drew the sample in the first stage following specifications provided by ICF. A complete household listing operation was then carried out by Mitra and Associates in all selected EAs to provide a sampling frame for the second-stage selection of households.

In the second stage of sampling, a systematic sample of an average of 45 households per EA was selected to provide statistically reliable estimates of key demographic and health variables for urban and rural areas separately and for each of the eight divisions in Bangladesh.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Four types of questionnaires were used for the 2022 BDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire (completed by ever-married women age 15–49), the Biomarker Questionnaire, and two verbal autopsy questionnaires. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect population and health issues relevant to Bangladesh. In addition, a selfadministered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers. The questionnaires were adapted for use in Bangladesh after a series of meetings with a Technical Working Group (TWG). The questionnaires were developed in English and then translated to and printed in Bangla.

Cleaning operations

The survey data were collected using tablet PCs running Windows 10.1 and Census and Survey Processing System (CSPro) software, jointly developed by the United States Census Bureau, ICF, and Serpro S.A. The Bangla language questionnaire was used for collecting data via computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). The CAPI program accepted only valid responses, automatically performed checks on ranges of values, skipped to the appropriate question based on the responses given, and checked the consistency of the data collected. Answers to the survey questions were entered into the PC tablets by each interviewer. Supervisors downloaded interview data to their computer, checked the data for completeness, and monitored fieldwork progress

Each day, after completion of interviews, field supervisors submitted data to the servers. Data were sent to the central office via the internet or other modes of telecommunication allowing electronic transfer of files. The data processing manager monitored the quality of the data received and downloaded completed files into the system. ICF provided the CSPro software for data processing and offered technical assistance in preparation of the data editing programs. Secondary editing was conducted simultaneously with data collection. All technical support for data processing and use of PC tablets was provided by ICF.

Abstract

The 2011 Population and Housing Census is the fifth Bangladesh Population and Housing Census conducted over a period of five days starting at the zero hour of 15 March 2011 and completing on the 19 March 2011. Population census done in every ten years indeed is the only recognized source in Bangladesh for quality benchmark database pertaining to population size and its spatial distribution and for various basic demographic characteristics. Along with national level aggregates, the census has generated detailed segregated data at community levels (mahallas/mauzas/villages) of the country being a full-count statistical undertaking.

The main objective of the census was to collect information on the basic characteristics related to housing, households and population for developing a comprehensive database for all development planning and human resource development programmes as well as economic management.

According to the provisional results of 2011 Population and Housing Census, the enumerated population on 15th March, 2011 was 142,319 thousands.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Households;
• Individuals.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The census questionnaire was designed for data capture through ICR equipment and had two modules: 1) a housing and household module with 11 questions and 2) an individual module with 14 questions.