BD population to reach 225m by 2061

Latest United Nations (UN) demographic study projects Bangladesh population to reach 225 million by 2061, with an increasing trend of young and productive age population till 2031, almost half of which is female.
The country's demographic transition has the challenge to absorb young and productive age population, particularly women, into the job market by creating decent work to reap benefit of the dividend.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed part of the study at an event on Monday. It was organised on the sidelines of the high-level meeting on South-South and triangular cooperation to harness demographic dividend through policy formulation and investment on young population.
The study shows that labour force absorption rate is 47 per cent in urban areas and 48 per cent in rural areas.
But the rate of female working force absorption is quite low in both cases. It shows only 27 per cent labour force in urban area is women, while 39 per cent in rural areas, though women continue to be almost half of the total population during the period.
It says productive age population, which is considered between 15 and 59 years of age, will increase up to 66.4 per cent till 2031 from the present 57.0 per cent. It will then go downward slowly to 58 per cent by 2061.
The study, however, said population of 14 years of age, which remains now 34.6 per cent, will reach to almost 25 per cent, as it has already started declining since 70s.
Professor Bellal Hossain of University of Dhaka presented the demographic study findings from Bangladesh context.
He said the country's crude birth and death rates have decreased significantly, increasing the life expectancy to 69 years by 2011. But Bangladesh still has challenges.
Professor Hossain said to reap the democratic dividend from young working age population for economic development, policy focus should be on human resource development by investing more on secondary education, skill development, health and good governance.
He emphasised stopping early marriage along with women empowerment to increase participation of women labour force to capitalise on the demographic dividend.
UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Advisor for Population Development Christophe Lefranc presented the demographic study findings from global context on the occasion.
He said young population is more than 30 per cent in most of the Asian, African and Latin American countries, which is likely to shrink to 20 to 29 per cent by 2025.
Professor Barkat-e-Khuda in his speech highlighted poor investment on health and education, which is 2.4 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively of GDP.
He also laid importance on transforming young age group into quality age group.
Dr Rushidan Islam Rahman of BIDS focused on absorption of young population by creating self employment opportunities and decent work, particularly for increasing female labour force participation.
Salman Zaidi said Bangladesh has already started reaping benefit of the demographic dividend through reducing poverty.
He, however, focused on policy for development of industries like light engineering and pharmaceuticals etc, by tackling energy and logistics issues properly through regional and global integration.
Member of General Economics Division Dr Shamsul Alam chaired the session, in presence of UNFPA Country Representative Argentina Matavel Piccin.
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