Today, Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities, and is also the 7th most populous country in the world.  With a population estimated at close to 160 million, Bangladesh averages more than 1000 people per square kilometer throughout the country.

In Bangladesh young people between the ages of 15-24 years make up nearly 20% of the population; with the total population of Bangladesh expected to reach 220 million by the year 2050, even if replacement level fertility is met today.

In focusing on population and development linkages and promoting the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) at the policy level, the P&D component of the 8th Country Programme will utilize interlocking program strategies in:  (a) Research; (b) Evidence-Based Policy and Advocacy; and (c) Data for Development (D4D).

UNFPA in Bangladesh works together with national partners to:

• Conduct secondary analyses of disaggregated census data
• Develop geo-database in health, employment, and private sectors
• Institutionalize national GBV survey and reliable “gender statistics”
• Develop ‘Civil Registration System’
• Use data to advocate for development policies: Account for changing population dynamics and Demographic window of opportunity focusing especially on women
• Urbanization

Through advocacy and building political commitment in:

• Parliamentary actions
• Annual budgetary allocation
• Programme and Policy Development: Building capacity of Planning and Line Ministries to translate research/data and analysis into specific policy recommendations