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Demographics of Bangladesh

(Redirected from Ethnic groups in Bangladesh)

Bangladesh is the eighth-most populated country in the world, accounting for approximately 2.2% of the global population. According to the final results of the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, the country's population was 169,828,911.[10] Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities in the world and is the only country ranked among the top ten globally in both population density and total population.

Demographics of Bangladesh
Bangladesh population pyramid in 2020
Population173,562,364 (2024 est.)[1]
Density1,333 people/km² (2024 est.)[2]
Growth rateIncrease 1.22% (2024 est.)[3]
Birth rateDecrease 19.99 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)[4]
Death rateDecrease 5.10 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)[4]
Life expectancyIncrease 74.9 years (2024 est.)[5]
 • maleIncrease 73.3 years (2024 est.)
 • femaleIncrease 76.7 years (2024 est.)
Fertility rateDecrease 2.1 children born/woman (2024 est.)[4]
Infant mortality rateDecrease 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)[6]
Net migration rate-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)[7]
Sex ratio
Total0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)[8]
At birth1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)[8]
Under 151.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)[8]
15–64 years0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)[8]
65 and over0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.)[8]
Nationality
NationalityBangladeshi
Major ethnicBengalis (99%)[9]
Minor ethnicChakma
Tripuri
Marma
Mundas
Garos
Oraons
Santhals
Mro
Manipuri
Zomi
Bihari
Khasi
Language
OfficialStandard Bengali
SpokenBengali and its regional dialects

Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan from 1955 to 1971 and East Bengal from 1947 to 1955) is largely ethnically homogeneous, with the Bengali ethnolinguistic group comprising around 99% of the population. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barisal, and parts of North Bengal are home to diverse indigenous communities. Numerous dialects of Bengali are spoken across the country, with the dialects of Chittagong and Sylhet being particularly distinctive.

According to the 2022 census, approximately 91.04% of Bangladeshis are Muslims, followed by Hindus (7.95%), Buddhists (0.61%), Christians (0.30%), and others (0.12%).

Bangladesh has experienced a significant decline in fertility rates since its independence in 1971. The total fertility rate (TFR) decreased from over 6 births per woman in the 1970s to approximately 2.1 births per woman in 2024, nearing replacement-level fertility.[11]

Population

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Demographic evolution of the population of Bangladesh (1947–2025)

The population of Bangladesh has grown rapidly since 1947, when the region was part of East Pakistan. According to United Nations estimates, the population increased from approximately 44 million in 1950 to around 175.7 million in 2025. Population growth accelerated during the second half of the 20th century before gradually slowing due to declining fertility rates.

As of mid-2025, the population of Bangladesh was estimated at approximately 175,686,899 people, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 revision.[12]

Population growth rate

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A view of Paltan and Segunbagicha areas in Dhaka in 2017

Bangladesh had high rates of population growth in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then however it has seen significant reduction in its total fertility rate. Over a period of three decades it dropped from almost 7 to 2 in 2005–2018.[13]

Census

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The latest decennial census was conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics in 2022.[10]

Population of Bangladesh[14]
Census dateCensus population
(millions)		Adjusted population
(millions)
1801 14.5
1851 20.3
1901 28.928
1911 31.555
1921 33.255
1931 35.602
1941 41.997
1951 41.932
1961 50.840
1974 71.479 76.398
1981 87.120 89.912
1991 106.313 111.455
2001 124.355 130.523
2011 142.319 152.518
2022 165.159 169.829

UN estimates

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Year[13] Total population (millions) Population percentage
aged 0–14 aged 15–64 aged 65+
1950 37.895
41.2%
54.8%
3.9%
1955 43.444
42.4%
54.1%
3.5%
1960 50.102
43.6%
53.1%
3.3%
1965 57.792
44.7%
52.0%
3.3%
1970 66.881
44.7%
51.8%
3.4%
1975 70.582
45.8%
50.7%
3.5%
1980 80.624
45.0%
51.4%
3.6%
1985 92.284
43.9%
52.5%
3.6%
1990 105.256
42.5%
53.8%
3.7%
1995 117.487
40.3%
55.9%
3.8%
2000 127.658
37.0%
59.2%
3.9%
2005 139.036
34.4%
61.3%
4.3%
2010 147.575
32.0%
63.2%
4.8%
2015 156.256
29.3%
65.6%
5.1%
2020 164.689
26.8%
68.0%
5.2%

Population by sex and age group

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[15][16]

Population by sex and age group (Census 15.III.2011):

Age group Male Female Total %
Total 72 109 796 71 933 901 144 043 697 100
0–4 7 638 523 7 423 447 15 061 970 10.46
5–9 9 322 514 8 850 715 18 173 229 12.62
10–14 8 614 889 8 031 726 16 646 615 11.56
15–19 6 509 492 6 352 398 12 861 890 8.93
20–24 5 777 370 7 522 419 13 299 789 9.23
25–29 6 225 252 7 254 256 13 479 508 9.36
30–34 5 079 106 5 420 659 10 499 765 7.29
35–39 4 697 349 4 859 079 9 556 428 6.63
40–44 4 280 923 3 980 739 8 261 662 5.74
45–49 3 363 273 3 016 800 6 380 073 4.43
50–54 2 952 596 2 599 675 5 552 271 3.85
55–59 1 923 534 1 577 463 3 500 997 2.43
60–64 2 081 306 1 852 708 3 934 014 2.73
65–69 1 149 569 963 921 2 113 490 1.47
70–74 1 206 398 1 025 314 2 231 712 1.55
75–79 488 338 386 389 874 727 0.61
80–84 443 239 436 840 880 079 0.61
85–89 138 268 124 343 262 611 0.18
90–94 116 916 133 273 250 189 0.17
95+ 100 941 121 737 222 678 0.15
Age group Male Female Total %
0–14 25 575 926 24 305 888 49 881 814 34.63
15–64 42 890 201 44 436 196 87 326 397 60.62
65+ 3 643 669 3 191 817 6 835 486 4.75

Population census by sex and age group (2022 census):

Age group Male Female Total %
Total 84 077 203 85 653 120 169 828 909 100
0–4 7 940 000 7 630 000 9.44
5–9 7 920 000 7 400 000 9.28
10–14 8 510 000 7 820 000 9.89
15–19 8 060 000 8 490 000 10.03
20–24 6 710 000 8 270 000 9.08
25–29 6 460 000 7 910 000 8.71
30–34 5 650 000 6 460 000 7.34
35–39 6 040 000 6 680 000 7.7
40–44 5 120 000 4 920 000 6.08
45–49 4 130 000 4 130 000 5.01
50–54 4 000 000 3 780 000 4.72
55–59 2 950 000 2 770 000 3.48
60–64 3 010 000 2 590 000 3.39
65–69 2 150 000 1 770 000 2.38
70–74 1 570 000 1 260 000 1.71
75–79 670 000 550 000 0.74
80+ 820 000 920 000 1.06
Age group Male Female Total Per cent
0–14 24 535 272 23 929 621 48 464 893 28.81
15–64 54 843 936 55 713 243 110 557 179 65.72
65+ 4 810 792 4 387 136 9 197 928 5.47

Gender ratio

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Age range (years) Sex ratio (males/females) (2015 est.)[17]
at birth 1.04
0–14 1.03
15–24 0.89
25–54 0.90
55–64 1.01
65 and over 0.97
total population 0.95

Urban and rural

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The sprawling mega-city of Dhaka has a huge population, but the majority of the people nonetheless still live in villages in rural areas.

Urban population: 37.4% of total population (2019 est.)
Rate of urbanisation: 3.13% annual rate of change (2019 est.)
Bangladesh is considered an urban country based on their population density[citation needed]

Population

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millionyear306090120150180195019601970198019902000201020202030population (million)Bangladesh Population
View source data.
‰years-20-1001020304050194019601980200020202040Crude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Crude rate of natural increase (per 1000)Crude rate of migration (per 1000)Bangladesh Natural Change
View source data.
Infant Mortalityyears0306090120150180210240195019601970198019902000201020202030Infant Mortality (per 1000 births)Bangladesh Infant Mortality
View source data.
TFRyears234567194019601980200020202040Total fertility rateTotal Fertility Rate
View source data.

Vital statistics

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UN estimates

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The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.[18]

Year Mid-year population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Crude migration rate (per 1000) Total fertility rate (TFR) Infant mortality (per 1000 live births) Life expectancy (in years)
1950 39,729,000 1,848,000 1,072,000  776,000 46.5 27.0 19.5 6.30 219.2 38.18
1951   40,549,000  1,907,000  1,066,000   842,000 47.0 26.3 20.8 −0.2 6.34 213.6 38.86
1952   41,427,000  1,960,000  1,056,000   904,000 47.3 25.5 21.8 −0.1 6.35 208.1 39.69
1953   42,329,000  2,016,000  1,067,000   949,000 47.6 25.2 22.4 −0.6 6.38 203.1 39.94
1954   43,282,000  2,079,000  1,047,000  1,032,000 48.0 24.2 23.8 −1.3 6.44 197.6 41.16
1955   44,316,000  2,140,000  1,044,000  1,096,000 48.3 23.5 24.7 −0.8 6.49 192.8 41.89
1956   45,408,000  2,198,000  1,048,000  1,150,000 48.4 23.1 25.3 −0.7 6.53 188.4 42.42
1957   46,561,000  2,262,000  1,037,000  1,225,000 48.6 22.3 26.3 −0.9 6.57 183.5 43.41
1958   47,743,000  2,329,000  1,043,000  1,286,000 48.7 21.8 26.9 −1.5 6.62 179.5 43.93
1959   49,005,000  2,405,000  1,045,000  1,360,000 49.0 21.3 27.7 −1.3 6.71 175.4 44.60
1960   50,396,000  2,493,000  1,070,000  1,423,000 49.5 21.2 28.2 0.2 6.78 173.4 44.74
1961   51,883,000  2,574,000  1,064,000  1,510,000 49.6 20.5 29.1 0.4 6.83 168.3 45.66
1962   53,462,000  2,650,000  1,055,000  1,595,000 49.6 19.7 29.8 0.6 6.87 164.3 46.70
1963   55,094,000  2,704,000  1,084,000  1,620,000 49.1 19.7 29.4 1.1 6.84 162.6 46.66
1964   56,774,000  2,760,000  1,068,000  1,692,000 48.6 18.8 29.8 0.7 6.84 158.7 47.74
1965   58,500,000  2,816,000  1,130,000  1,686,000 48.2 19.3 28.8 1.6 6.83 159.0 46.86
1966   60,265,000  2,881,000  1,088,000  1,792,000 47.8 18.1 29.7 0.5 6.82 154.7 48.58
1967   62,104,000  2,966,000  1,107,000  1,859,000 47.8 17.8 29.9 0.6 6.85 153.3 48.87
1968   63,996,000  3,046,000  1,130,000  1,916,000 47.6 17.6 29.9 0.6 6.85 152.5 49.09
1969   65,867,000  3,134,000  1,159,000  1,975,000 47.5 17.6 29.9 −0.7 6.86 152.0 49.17
1970   67,542,000  3,209,000  1,509,000  1,701,000 47.4 22.3 25.1 0.3 6.88 165.3 42.59
1971   68,376,000  3,262,000 2,811,000 451,000 47.6 41.0 6.6 5.7 6.87 199.4 26.00
1972   69,347,000  3,300,000  1,189,000  2,112,000 47.5 17.1 30.4 −16.2 6.85 151.3 49.59
1973   71,145,000  3,349,000  1,211,000  2,137,000 47.0 17.0 30.0 −4.1 6.82 151.1 49.83
1974   72,948,000  3,414,000  1,275,000  2,139,000 46.7 17.4 29.2 −3.9 6.79 153.6 49.16
1975   74,700,000  3,461,000  1,246,000  2,215,000 46.2 16.6 29.5 −5.5 6.74 149.3 50.29
1976   76,380,000  3,540,000  1,260,000  2,280,000 46.2 16.4 29.7 −7.2 6.67 147.9 50.65
1977   78,138,000  3,610,000  1,266,000  2,344,000 46.1 16.1 29.9 −6.9 6.59 146.1 51.20
1978   80,008,000  3,661,000  1,289,000 2,372,000 45.6 16.1 29.5 −5.6 6.52 143.9 51.25
1979   81,908,000  3,735,000  1,306,000  2,429,000 45.5 15.9 29.6 −5.9 6.42 141.3 51.46
1980   83,930,000  3,793,000  1,313,000  2,479,000 45.1 15.6 29.5 −4.8 6.32 138.6 51.85
1981   86,155,000  3,859,000  1,324,000  2,535,000 44.7 15.4 29.4 −2.9 6.24 135.7 52.17
1982   88,555,000 3,922,000  1,332,000  2,590,000 44.3 15.0 29.2 −1.3 6.12 132.6 52.54
1983   91,045,000  3,899,000  1,327,000  2,572,000 42.8 14.6 28.2 −0.1 5.89 129.2 53.01
1984   93,534,000  3,914,000  1,318,000  2,596,000 41.8 14.1 27.7 −0.4 5.73 125.8 53.54
1985   95,959,000  3,913,000  1,317,000  2,597,000 40.7 13.7 27.0 −1.1 5.54 122.6 53.90
1986   98,272,000  3,880,000  1,301,000  2,579,000 39.4 13.2 26.2 −2.1 5.30 118.4 54.42
1987  100,490,000  3,858,000  1,286,000  2,572,000 38.3 12.8 25.6 −3.0 5.07 114.7 54.93
1988  102,689,000  3,803,000  1,290,000  2,513,000 37.0 12.5 24.4 −2.5 4.84 110.9 55.03
1989  104,894,000  3,801,000  1,299,000  2,501,000 36.2 12.4 23.8 −2.3 4.68 106.9 55.09
1990  107,148,000  3,750,000  1,257,000  2,492,000 35.1 12.0 23.2 −1.7 4.48 103.0 55.99
1991  109,243,000  3,660,000  1,375,000  2,285,000 33.6 12.9 20.7 −1.3 4.26 103.6 54.15
1992  111,272,000  3,604,000  1,178,000  2,426,000 32.4 11.2 21.2 −3.2 4.03 95.2 57.64
1993  113,419,000  3,579,000  1,174,000  2,404,000 31.4 10.9 20.5 −1.9 3.83 91.3 57.93
1994  115,615,000  3,627,000  1,153,000  2,474,000 31.1 10.5 20.6 −2.0 3.74 87.3 58.62
1995  117,793,000  3,593,000  1,120,000  2,472,000 30.4 10.1 20.2 −2.2 3.59 83.4 59.47
1996  119,877,000  3,597,000  1,138,000  2,458,000 30.0 9.8 20.3 −2.8 3.51 79.5 59.49
1997  122,039,000  3,692,000  1,047,000  2,646,000 30.4 9.4 21.0 −3.6 3.50 75.5 61.43
1998  124,350,000  3,711,000   936,000  2,775,000 30.2 9.0 21.1 −3.4 3.43 71.8 63.92
1999  126,755,000  3,723,000 846,000 2,877,000 29.9 8.6 21.2 −3.4 3.36 68.1 66.23
2000  129,193,000  3,747,000   887,000  2,860,000 29.6 8.3 21.3 −2.9 3.28 64.6 65.78
2001  131,670,000  3,756,000   890,000  2,866,000 29.2 7.9 21.2 −2.5 3.20 61.3 66.14
2002  134,140,000  3,758,000   886,000  2,872,000 28.5 7.6 20.9 −2.6 3.13 58.2 66.61
2003  136,503,000  3,736,000   896,000  2,841,000 27.7 7.3 20.4 −3.2 3.03 55.3 66.82
2004  138,790,000  3,697,000   896,000  2,801,000 27.0 7.1 19.9 −3.3 2.94 52.6 67.19
2005  140,913,000  3,603,000   908,000  2,696,000 26.1 6.8 19.2 −3.8 2.85 50.0 67.30
2006  142,629,000  3,529,000   930,000  2,600,000 25.3 6.6 18.6 −6.0 2.76 47.5 67.24
2007  144,136,000  3,467,000   982,000  2,485,000 24.5 6.5 18.0 −6.6 2.67 45.4 66.71
2008  145,421,000  3,379,000   979,000  2,400,000 23.7 6.3 17.4 −7.5 2.58 43.0 67.05
2009  146,707,000  3,275,000   972,000  2,302,000 22.8 6.2 16.6 −6.9 2.48 41.0 67.40
2010  148,391,000  3,177,000   907,000  2,269,000 21.9 6.0 15.8 −3.8 2.38 39.0 68.64
2011  150,211,000  3,093,000   919,000  2,174,000 21.1 5.9 15.2 −2.2 2.31 37.2 68.81
2012  152,091,000  3,062,000   893,000  2,169,000 20.7 5.8 14.9 −1.7 2.26 35.6 69.55
2013  154,030,000  3,067,000   921,000  2,146,000 20.6 5.8 14.8 −1.2 2.25 33.9 69.57
2014  155,961,000  3,049,000   919,000  2,130,000 20.3 5.7 14.6 −1.1 2.23 32.4 69.99
2015  157,830,000  3,026,000   912,000  2,114,000 20.3 5.6 14.6 −1.4 2.23 30.9 70.49
2016  159,785,000  3,037,000   900,000  2,137,000 20.2 5.6 14.7 −1.0 2.23 29.4 71.09
2017 161,794,000 2,994,000 881,000 2,113,000 20.0 5.5 14.5 −0.5 2.21 28.0 71.79
2018  163,684,000 3,025,000   859,000  2,166,000 20.1 5.4 14.6 −1.5 2.19 26.6 72.57
2019  165,516,000  3,041,000   875,000  2,166,000 20.1 5.4 14.8 −1.9 2.18 25.2 72.81
2020  167,421,000  3,023,000   974,000  2,049,000 20.3 6.1 14.2 −0.7 2.18 24.0 71.97
2021  169,356,000  3,020,000   962,000  2,057,000 20.4 6.3 14.1 −0.5 2.17 22.9 72.38
2022    3,486,416 853,189 2,633,227 20.6 5.0 15.5 2.18
2023    3,489,953 859,075 2,630,878 20.4 5.0 15.3 2.16
2024    3,469,124 885,972 2,583,152 20.0 5.1 14.9 2.14
2025    3,441,259 899,880 2,541,379 19.6 5.1 14.5 2.11

Sample vital registration system

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[15][19]

Year Population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Fertility rate
National
(urban/rural)
1981 87,119,965[20] 3,098,000 1,038,000 2,060,000 34.6 (24.8/35.7) 11.5 (7.2/12.2) 23.1 (17.6/23.5) 5.04 (3.20/5.28)
1982 92,300,000 3,189,000 1,107,000 2,082,000 34.8 (22.9/36.9) 12.2 (6.9/12.8) 22.6 (16.0/24.1) 5.21 (3.01/5.50)
1983 94,300,000 3,280,000 1,163,000 2,117,000 35.0 (27.1/36.4) 12.3 (7.5/13.2) 22.7 (19.6/23.2) 5.07 (3.45/5.36)
1984 96,300,000 3,335,000 1,182,000 2,153,000 34.8 (25.0/36.1) 12.3 (8.5/12.9) 22.5 (16.5/23.2) 4.83 (3.10/5.08)
1985 98,400,000 3,392,000 1,183,000 2,209,000 34.6 (28.0/35.3) 12.0 (8.3/12.9) 22.6 (19.7/22.4) 4.71 (3.52/4.91)
1986 100,500,000 3,448,000 1,183,000 2,265,000 34.4 (25.9/35.4) 12.1 (8.1/12.3) 22.3 (17.8/23.1) 4.70 (3.26/4.89)
1987 102,800,000 3,414,000 1,173,000 2,241,000 33.3 (24.8/34.6) 11.5 (7.6/11.8) 21.8 (17.2/22.8) 4.42 (3.05/4.64)
1988 105,000,000 3,477,000 1,179,000 2,298,000 33.2 (24.9/34.6) 11.3 (7.5/11.9) 21.9 (17.4/22.7) 4.45 (3.08/4.70)
1989 107,400,000 3,531,000 1,196,000 2,335,000 33.0 (24.4/34.5) 11.3 (7.3/11.9) 21.7 (17.1/22.6) 4.35 (2.90/4.59)
1990 109,800,000 3,559,000 1,106,000 2,453,000 32.8 (24.6/34.3) 11.4 (7.8/11.8) 21.4 (16.8/22.5) 4.33 (2.90/4.57)
1991 106,314,992[20] 3,561,000 1,110,000 2,451,000 31.6 (23.9/32.9) 11.2 (7.8/11.5) 20.4 (16.1/21.4) 4.24 (2.89/4.51)
1992 114,400,000 3,455,000 1,139,000 2,316,000 30.8 (23.7/32.2) 11.0 (7.5/11.3) 19.8 (16.2/20.9) 4.18 (2.88/4.33)
1993 116,500,000 3,350,000 1,100,000 2,250,000 28.8 (21.0/30.0) 10.0 (7.2/10.4) 18.8 (13.8/19.6) 3.84 (2.62/4.00)
1994 118,400,000 3,289,000 1,067,000 2,222,000 27.0 (20.2/29.1) 9.3 (7.1/9.3) 17.7 (13.1/19.8) 3.58 (2.58/3.79)
1995 120,200,000 3,228,000 1,007,000 2,221,000 26.5 (19.4/28.5) 8.7 (6.7/9.0) 17.8 (12.7/19.5) 3.45 (2.50/3.78)
1996 122,100,000 3,143,000 989,000 2,154,000 25.6 (19.0/27.8) 8.2 (6.5/8.8) 17.4 (12.5/19.0) 3.41 (2.48/3.76)
1997 123,900,000 2,746,000 719,000 2,027,000 21.0 (16.2/24.5) 5.5 (4.2/6.5) 15.5 (12.0/18.0) 3.10 (2.28/3.32)
1998 125,700,000 2,608,000 652,000 1,956,000 19.9 (14.0/21.0) 5.1 (3.7/5.4) 14.8 (10.3/15.6) 2.98 (2.24/3.00)
1999 127,500,000 2,542,000 649,000 1,893,000 19.2 (13.8/20.9) 5.1 (3.5/5.4) 14.1 (10.3/15.5) 2.64 (1.76/2.91)
2000 129,300,000 2,454,000 640,000 1,814,000 19.0 (13.7/20.8) 4.9 (3.5/5.3) 14.1 (10.2/15.5) 2.59 (1.68/2.89)
2001 124,355,263[20] 2,439,000 638,000 1,801,000 18.9 (13.6/20.7) 4.8 (4.3/5.2) 14.1 (9.3/15.5) 2.56 (1.73/2.84)
2002 132,900,000 2,674,000 679,000 1,995,000 20.1 (16.6/21.0) 5.1 (3.8/5.4) 15.0 (12.8/15.6) 2.55 (1.94/2.69)
2003 134,800,000 2,814,000 783,000 2,031,000 20.9 (17.9/21.7) 5.9 (4.7/6.2) 15.0 (13.2/15.5) 2.57 (1.91/2.70)
2004 136,700,000 2,830,000 794,000 2,036,000 20.8 (17.8/21.6) 5.8 (4.4/6.1) 15.0 (13.4/15.5) 2.51 (1.91/2.67)
2005 138,600,000 2,879,000 823,000 2,056,000 20.7 (17.8/21.7) 5.8 (4.9/6.1) 14.9 (12.9/15.6) 2.46 (1.87/2.65)
2006 140,600,000 2,901,000 789,000 2,112,000 20.6 (17.5/21.7) 5.6 (4.4/6.0) 15.0 (13.1/15.7) 2.41 (1.81/2.63)
2007 142,600,000 2,986,000 792,000 2,194,000 20.9 (17.4/22.1) 6.2 (5.1/6.6) 14.7 (12.3/15.5) 2.39 (1.79/2.61)
2008 144,700,000 3,022,000 885,000 2,137,000 20.5 (17.2/22.4) 6.0 (5.1/6.5) 14.5 (12.1/15.9) 2.30 (1.79/2.60)
2009 146,700,000 2,832,000 842,000 1,990,000 19.4 (16.8/20.4) 5.8 (4.7/6.1) 13.6 (12.1/14.3) 2.15 (1.65/2.28)
2010 148,600,000 2,868,494 842,095 2,026,399 19.2 (17.1/20.1) 5.6 (4.9/5.9) 13.6 (12.2/14.2) 2.12 (1.72/2.26)
2011 150,600,000 2,891,000 828,000 2,063,000 19.2 (17.4/20.2) 5.5 (4.8/5.8) 13.7 (12.6/14.4) 2.11 (1.71/2.25)
2012 152,700,000 2,933,000 826,000 2,107,000 18.9 (17.1/20.0) 5.3 (4.6/5.7) 13.6 (12.5/14.3) 2.12 (1.84/2.30)
2013 154,700,000 19.0 (18.2/19.3) 5.3 (4.6/5.6) 13.7 (13.6/13.7) 2.11 (1.84/2.19)
2014 156,800,000 18.9 (17.2/19.4) 5.2 (4.1/5.6) 13.7 (13.1/13.8) 2.11 (1.77/2.22)
2015 158,900,000 18.8 (16.5/20.3) 5.1 (4.6/5.5) 13.7 (11.9/14.8) 2.10 (1.72/2.30)
2016 160,800,000 18.7 (16.1/20.9) 5.1 (4.2/5.7) 13.6 (11.9/15.2) 2.10 (1.68/2.38)
2017 163,780,000 3,009,950 829,770 2,180,180 18.5 (16.1/20.4) 5.1 (4.2/5.7) 13.4 (11.9/14.7) 2.05 (1.68/2.37)
2018 164,600,000 18.3 (16.1/20.1) 5.0 (4.4/5.4) 13.3 (11.7/14.7) 2.05 (1.68/2.38)
2019 166,500,000 18.1 (15.9/20.0) 4.9 (4.4/5.4) 13.2 (11.5/14.6) 2.04 (1.67/2.37)
2020 168,220,000 3,040,667 852,254 2,188,413 18.1 (15.3/20.4) 5.1 (4.9/5.2) 13.0 (10.4/15.2) 2.04 (1.66/2.37)
2021 170,260,000 18.8 (16.4/19.5) 5.7 (4.8/6.0) 13.1 (11.6/13.5) 2.05 (1.66/2.18)
2022 169,828,911[21] 19.8 (16.6/20.8) 5.8 (5.1/6.0) 14.0 (11.5/14.8) 2.20 (1.71/2.37)
2023 2.17

Total fertility rate

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Total fertility rate by divisions in 2020

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Division TFR (total fertility rate) Crude birth rate Death rate
Mymensingh 2.69 21.8 5.0
Barishal 2.07 17.7 5.2
Chittagong 2.36 21.6 5.3
Dhaka 1.71 15.8 4.5
Rajshahi 1.99 16.8 5.4
Rangpur 2.11 18.2 5.2
Sylhet 1.94 17.7 5.3
Khulna 1.98 17.1 5.0

Demographic and Health Surveys

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[22]

Year(s) Total fertility rate (TFR)
1993–94 3.4
1996–97 3.3
1999–2000 3.3
2004 3.0
2007 2.7
2011 2.3
2014 2.3
2017–18 2.3
2022 2.3

Life expectancy at birth

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Life expectancy in Bangladesh since 1876
Life expectancy in Bangladesh since 1960 by gender
Total population: 72.7 years (2018)[23]
Male: 71.1 years
Female: 74.4 years
Period Life expectancy in
Years		 Period Life expectancy in
Years
1950–1955 40.7 1985–1990 57.0
1955–1960 44.2 1990–1995 60.0
1960–1965 47.2 1995–2000 63.7
1965–1970 49.3 2000–2005 66.7
1970–1975 46.3 2005–2010 69.1
1975–1980 52.2 2010–2015 71.2
1980–1985 54.3

Source: UN World Population Prospects[24]

Ethnic group

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The vast majority (about 99%) of Bangladeshis are of the Bengali ethno-linguistic group. This group also spans the neighbouring Indian province of West Bengal. Minority ethnic groups include Meitei, Tripuri, Marma, Tanchangya, Barua, Khasi, Santhals, Chakma, Rakhine, Garo, Biharis, Oraons, and Mundas.

Map of the largest ethnic group per Union council in Bangladesh

Biharis are Urdu-speaking, non-Bengalis who emigrated from the state of Bihar and other parts of northern India during the 1947 partition. They are concentrated in the Dhaka and Rangpur areas and number some 300,000.[25][26] In the 1971 independence war many of them sided with Pakistan, as they stood to lose their positions in the upper levels of society.[27] Hundreds of thousands went to Pakistan and those that remained were interned in refugee camps. Their population declined from about 1 million in 1971 to 600,000 in the late 1980s.[27] Refugees International has called them a "neglected and stateless" people as they are denied citizenship by the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan.[28] As nearly 40 years has passed, two generations of Biharis have been born in these camps. Biharis were granted Bangladeshi citizenship and voting rights in 2008.[29]

Bangladesh's tribal population was enumerated at 897,828 in the 1981 census.[27] These tribes are concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and around Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Rajshahi. They are of Sino-Tibetan descent and differ markedly in their social customs, religion, language and level of development. They speak Tibeto-Burman languages and most are Buddhist or Hindu.[27] The four largest tribes are Chakmas, Marmas, Tipperas, Tanchangya, and Mros. Smaller groups include the Santals in Rajshahi and Dinajpur, and Khasis, Garos, and Khajons in Mymensingh and Sylhet regions.[27]

There are small communities of Meitei people (alias Manipuri people) in the Sylhet district, which is close to the Meitei homeland across the border in Manipur, India.[30][31]

There is a large population of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar near the border in the southeast. There are 28,000 living in two UN refugee camps in Cox's Bazar as well as some 200,000 "unregistered people of concern" living outside of the camps.[32] The refugee crisis originated in the early 1990s when the first wave numbering some 250,000 of the predominantly Muslim ethnic group fled persecution from their home in Rakhaine—Myanmar's westernmost state. Bangladesh seeks to repatriate the refugees back to Myanmar.[33] Since 2017, there are approximately 1.1 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh.

Languages

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Languages of Bangladesh (2022)[34]
Bengali
 
 99%
Others
 
 1%

Bangladesh has 44 indigenous languages according to Professor Shameem Reza.[40]

According to the Ethnologue, there are 36 indigenous living languages, which include 17 Sino-Tibetan, 10 Indo-European, 7 Austro-Asiatic and 2 Dravidian languages.[35]

Religion

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Population trends for major religious groups in Bangladesh (1951–2022)
Islam Hinduism Buddhism Christianity Other religions/
No religion
1951[41]
76.9%
22.0%
0.7%
0.3%
0.1%
1961[41]
80.4%
18.5%
0.7%
0.3%
0.1%
1974[41]
85.4%
13.5%
0.6%
0.2%
0.2%
1981[41]
86.6%
12.1%
0.6%
0.3%
0.3%
1991[41]
88.3%
10.5%
0.6%
0.3%
0.3%
2001[42]
89.7%
9.2%
0.7%
0.3%
0.1%
2011[43]
90.4%
8.5%
0.6%
0.3%
0.1%
2022[10]
91.0%
7.9%
0.6%
0.3%
0.1%
Bangladesh religious diversity as per 2022 census[10][44][45]
Religion Population
Muslims ()
150,360,404
Hindus ()
13,130,109
Buddhists ()
1,007,467
Christians ()
495,475
Others
198,190
Total
165,158,616

Bangladesh has a population of 165,158,616 as per 2022 census.[10]

Religions in Bangladesh (2022 census)[46]
Religion Percent
Muslims
 
 91.04%
Hindus
 
 7.95%
Buddhism
 
 0.61%
Christians
 
 0.30%
Others
 
 0.12%

Migration

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Immigration

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According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Bangladesh hosted approximately 2.9 million international migrants in 2024, representing about 1.7% of the country's population.[47] The majority are Rohingya refugees who fled persecution and violence in neighboring Myanmar following the Rohingya genocide and subsequent conflict in Rakhine State.[48]

As of 2025, Bangladesh was hosting more than 1 million Rohingya refugees, primarily in camps in Cox's Bazar District, making it one of the world's largest refugee-hosting countries.[49]

Other migrant communities in Bangladesh include expatriate workers, diplomats, students, and business professionals from South Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East.[50]

International migrants in Bangladesh (2024 estimate)
Country/territory of origin Population
 Myanmar
(primarily Rohingya refugees)		 1,000,000+
 Malaysia 210,000+
 China 170,000+
Afghanistan Afghanistan 160,000+
 India 40,000+
   Nepal 40,000+
 United States 50,000+
 United Kingdom 35,000+
Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024, UNHCR

Emigration

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Bangladesh is one of the world's largest sources of migrant labour. According to UNDESA estimates, the Bangladeshi diaspora reached approximately 8.7 million people in 2024.[51] The country has a strongly negative net migration rate of approximately −4.3 migrants per 1,000 population.[52]

Labour migration plays a major role in the Bangladeshi economy, with remittances constituting one of the country's largest sources of foreign exchange earnings.[53]

The principal destinations for Bangladeshi migrants are countries in the Persian Gulf, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.[54]

Largest Bangladeshi diaspora populations (2024 estimate)
Country Population
 Saudi Arabia 1,800,000+
 United Arab Emirates 1,200,000+
 Malaysia 800,000+
 Oman 700,000+
 United Kingdom 600,000+
 United States 350,000+
 Qatar 300,000+
 Kuwait 280,000+
 Italy 200,000+
 Singapore 160,000+
Sources: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024, BMET

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2024". United Nations Population Division. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Bangladesh Demographics 2024". Worldometer. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Sample Vital Statistics Report 2024". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "Sample Vital Statistics Report 2024". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Life expectancy at birth, Bangladesh". World Bank. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Infant mortality rate – Bangladesh". Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Bangladesh Demographics Profile". World Factbook. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sex ratio – The World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Population and Housing Census 2022 Preliminary Report" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Population and Housing Census 2022 Preliminary Report". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. August 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "Sample Vital Statistics Report 2024". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2024". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. United Nations. 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  13. 1 2 "World Population Prostpects 2019". Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. Archived from the original on 6 May 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  14. ↑ "Population". Banglapedia. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Vital Statistics". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Bangladesh : Demographic and Health Survey 2014" (PDF). Dhsprogram.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "The World Factbook: Bangladesh: People and Society". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  18. ↑ United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2022). "World Population Prospects 2022 Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XLS (91MB)). United Nations Population Division. 27 (Online ed.). New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. rows 7493:7564, cols M,X,AE,S,AH,S,AA,AV,AI. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022.
  19. ↑ "3. Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year (2002–2016)" (PDF). United Nations Statistics Division. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 "Bangladesh's population reaches 165 million". Prothom Alo. 27 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "Bangladesh's population reaches almost 170m, final census data shows". bdnews24.com. 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "The DHS Program – Quality information to plan, monitor and improve population, health, and nutrition programs". Dhsprogram.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  23. ↑ "Bangladeshis' life expectancy now 71.6 years". The Daily Star. BSS. 26 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  24. ↑ "World Population Prospects". United Nations. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  25. ↑ "Socio-economic Problems of the Urdu Speaking Residents at Mohammadpur" (PDF). Democracy Watch. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  26. ↑ Persoob, Tasmia. "The Forgotten Community: Camp Based Urdu Speaking People in Bangladesh" (PDF). Jahangirnagar University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity Archived 28 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Bangladesh: A Country Study, Edited by James Heitzman and Robert Worden, Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1989.
  28. ↑ "Refugees of Nowhere: The Stateless Biharis of Bangladesh". Refugees International. 15 February 2006. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007.
  29. ↑ "Citizenship for Bihari refugees". BBC News. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  30. ↑ "Manipuri, The". Banglapedia. Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  31. ↑ "The Manipuri Ethnic Group in Bangladesh". Bangladesh.com. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  32. ↑ 2010 Regional Operations Profile – South-East Asia Archived 18 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 2010.
  33. ↑ "Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh refuse repatriation". Agence France-Presse. 30 December 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  34. ↑ "South Asia ::Bangladesh". CIA The World Factbook. 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bangladesh". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  36. ↑ Moseley, Christopher (1 January 2010). Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. UNESCO. p. 139. ISBN 978-92-3-104096-2. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  37. ↑ Asher, R. E.; Moseley, Christopher (19 April 2018). Atlas of the World's Languages. Taylor and Francis. p. 97. ISBN 978-1-317-85108-0. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  38. ↑ "Manipuri language | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023. Manipuri language, Manipuri Meiteilon, also called Meitei (Meetei), a Tibeto-Burman language spoken predominantly in Manipur, a northeastern state of India. Smaller speech communities exist in the Indian states of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura, as well as in Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma).
  39. ↑ "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019.
  40. ↑ "ULAB introduces Bangla and Literature Department". Dhaka Tribune. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bangladesh- Population census 1991: Religious Composition 1901–1991". Bangladeshgov.org. 2 August 2016. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  42. ↑ "Bangladesh: at a glance". Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  43. ↑ "Population & Housing Census 2011". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  44. ↑ Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2011). "Population & Housing Census" (PDF). Bangladesh Government. p. xiii. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2015. Population By Religion (%) Muslim 90.39 Hindu 8.54 Buddhist 0.60 Christian 0.31 Others 0.14
  45. ↑ Data Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Census – Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
  46. ↑ "Population and Housing Census 2022: Preliminary Report" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. August 2022. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  47. ↑ "International Migrant Stock 2024". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  48. ↑ "Rohingya Emergency". UNHCR. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  49. ↑ "Bangladesh Operational Update". UNHCR. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  50. ↑ "Bangladesh". International Organization for Migration. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  51. ↑ "International Migrant Stock 2024". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  52. ↑ "Bangladesh Demographics Profile 2025". World Factbook. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  53. ↑ "Bangladesh Overview". World Bank. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  54. ↑ "Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training". Government of Bangladesh. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
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