The Prothumalo, July 8, 2025

Bangladesh's population is estimated at 175.7 million of which half are women, two-thirds (115 million) in the working-age group (aged 15-64), presenting a window of opportunity to harness the demographic dividend.

The estimation was made in the annual flagship publication, the State of World Population (SWOP) 2025, of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

UNFPA representative in Bangladesh Catherine Breen Kamkong officially launched the annual report at a press event held at the UN Building in the city’s Gulshan area today, Monday.

“As of 2025, the global population stands at 8.2 billion. Bangladesh's population is estimated at 175.7 million of which half are women, two-thirds (115 million) are in the working-age group. It is an opportunity to harness the demographic dividend,” said Catherine Kamkong.

At the same time, 7 per cent (12 million) of the population is aged 65 and above, signalling the onset of population ageing, she said.

Adolescents make up 19 per cent of Bangladesh's population-approximately 33 million-while the broader youth cohort aged 10-24 accounts for 28 per cent, nearing 50 million, Catherine Kamkong added.

Talking about this year’s theme of the publication, "The Real Fertility Crisis – The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World," she said it challenges the dominant narrative of "too many" or "too few" births. The real crisis is not about numbers-it is a crisis of reproductive agency.

“Around the world, and here in Bangladesh, people especially women and young people are unable to realise their reproductive intentions due to systemic, economic and social barriers,” said the UNFPA representative.