Impacts of Overpopulation in Bangladesh

The population of a country is one of its most invaluable assets. When the population exceeds the
optimum level, the invaluable assets become a liability for the country. Bangladesh is situated in both the
eastern and northern hemispheres and is located on the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia.
Bangladesh has the 8th largest population in the world with 163,317,317 or 2.11% of the Earth’s
inhabitants living there in 2019. However, the country only has the 92nd largest land area which means
population density is high. It is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with over
1,250 people per square kilometer. With high birth and low death rates, as shown in the graph below, the
population growth rate is around 1.04%. The result of this is over population because Bangladesh has
more people than its resources can support.

This high population density has led to a number of problems, including:

● Poverty: Bangladesh is a poor country, and its overpopulation makes it difficult to provide basic
necessities for all of its citizens. Many people live in slums and lack access to clean water,
sanitation, and healthcare.

● Unemployment: Bangladesh has a high unemployment rate, and its overpopulation makes it even
harder for people to find jobs.

● Environmental degradation: Bangladesh's overpopulation is putting a strain on its natural

resources. The country is experiencing deforestation, water pollution, and soil erosion.

● Climate change: Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change, as it is a low-lying

country that is prone to flooding. Overpopulation makes it even more difficult for the country to
adapt to climate change.

● Food insecurity: Bangladesh is a low-income country with limited arable land. Overpopulation
puts a strain on the country's food resources, making it difficult to feed everyone. According to
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), over 16 million people in
Bangladesh are undernourished.

● Housing shortage: Overpopulation also leads to a shortage of housing. With so many people
living in a small area, it is difficult to provide everyone with adequate shelter. According to the
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), over 10 million people in
Bangladesh live in slums.

● Health problems: Overpopulation can lead to a number of health problems, such as malnutrition,
overcrowding, and the spread of disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child mortality in the world.
GDP per person is low in Bangladesh, meaning people do not generally have a good standard of living. A
significant number of people in Bangladesh are under-employed, meaning they don’t work full-time.
According to UNESCO Bangladesh has an adult literacy rate of just 72.89%. While the male literacy rate
is 75.7%, for females is 70.09%. This is the result of no free or compulsory education system meaning
few people have qualifications.

BANGLADESH RELIGION, ECONOMY AND POLITICS

In terms of religions preferred by the population, we see that Muslim comes in with 89.1% of the
population, Hindu with 10%, and other religions make up the remaining 0.9% (includes Buddhist,
Christian) of the population. Life expectancy in Bangladesh is currently at 73.4 years of age, with an
overall happiness ranking of 115 out of all other countries with recorded data. The accessibility of clean
water and improved sanitation is still struggling with respective numbers of 13.1% struggling for clean
water and 39.4% struggling to access sanitation. Only 72.8% of the population over 15 years of age is
literate, with a GDP expenditure of only 2.5% on education.

BANGLADESH POPULATION HISTORY

Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan in 1971 and a nationwide census at the time confirmed
that there were 71 million people living here. In 1980, the Bangladesh population had grown to 90.4
million and similar rises have been recorded on a decade by decade basis ever since. The nationwide
census in the country took place in March of 2011 and preliminary results claimed that the population of
Bangladesh at the time was 142.3 million. This was immediately disputed by the UN and was
subsequently dismissed by the Bangladesh authorities themselves.

CURRENT POPULATION SITUATION AND FUTURE GROWTH

The Bangladesh population in mid-2007 was around 147 million. The precise figure depends on
assumptions about rates of growth since the adjusted census figure of 129,247,233 for 22 January 2001.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) indicates an average rate of natural increase of 1.5% annually
since the census. However, these figures from the BBS are almost certainly under-estimates of crude birth
rate (CBR) (20-21/1,000) and crude death rate (CDR) (5-6/1,000). The BBS rates would project a
population of just over 141 million whereas the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) rate of natural
growth of 1.9% per annum is more likely—based on assumed CBR of 27/1,000 and CDR of 8/1,000,
resulting in a projected population of 147 million.

Statistical Fertility in Bangladesh

The total fertility rate (TFR) in Bangladesh is 2.0 children per woman, which is slightly below the
replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. However, the TFR varies significantly across different
regions and socioeconomic groups. For example, the TFR in rural areas is higher than in urban areas, and
the TFR among the poor is higher than among the rich.
The TFR in Bangladesh has declined significantly over the past few decades. This is due to a number of
factors, including increased access to contraception, female education, and economic development.
However, the decline in the TFR has slowed in recent years, and the population is still projected to grow
to over 200 million by 2050.

Impacts of High Fertility on Bangladesh

High fertility has a number of negative impacts on Bangladesh, including:

Population growth: High fertility rates lead to rapid population growth. This puts a strain on resources and
infrastructure, and makes it difficult to achieve sustainable development.
Poverty: High fertility rates can lead to poverty, as families with many children struggle to make ends
meet. This can lead to malnutrition, child labor, and other social problems.
Maternal mortality: Bangladesh has a high maternal mortality rate, which is partly due to high fertility
rates. This is because women who have frequent pregnancies are at increased risk of complications.
Child malnutrition: Child malnutrition is also a problem in Bangladesh, and high fertility rates are a
contributing factor. This is because families with many children often have less money to spend on food
and healthcare.

Overpopulation is a major challenge facing Bangladesh. It has a number of negative impacts on the
country, including poverty, food insecurity, environmental degradation, health problems, and social
unrest. High fertility rates are a major contributor to overpopulation in Bangladesh.Future trends in
fertility will depend on further improvements in child survival, which has been stagnant for the past
decade, following impressive gains in the 1980s. It will also depend on the changing status of women and
girls, and that will require continued inputs in primary and secondary female education linked with
developing formal sector employment opportunities in the rural areas, not only in the cities.The
Bangladesh government is implementing a number of policies and programs to address overpopulation,
but more needs to be done.