Largest cities in Bangladesh, 1975 to 2050

Dhaka leads Bangladesh with 36.59 million people in 2025, ahead of Chattogram at 4.98 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Dhaka ranks #1 with 36.59M, ahead of Chattogram (4.98M) and Savar (3.56M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Dhaka is projected to rank #1 with 52.12M, ahead of Savar (5.99M) and Chattogram (5.94M).
Dhaka holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Savar, from #12 in 1975 to #2 in 2050.
Dhaka grew 7.3× between 1975 and 2025.

About this chart

Dhaka stands well above the other cities in Bangladesh: its 36.59 million people in 2025 are about 7.35 times the 4.98 million in second-place Chattogram. Dhaka also led the 1975 ranking, when the UN series put it at 5.04 million. Savar occupies third place in 2025 at 3.56 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Dhaka to lead in 2050 at 52.12 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Bangladesh, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇧🇩 Dhaka	🇧🇩 Chattogram	🇧🇩 Brahmanbaria	🇧🇩 Khulna	🇧🇩 Barishal	🇧🇩 Jashore	🇧🇩 Bogura	🇧🇩 Sylhet	🇧🇩 Mymensingh	🇧🇩 Rangpur	🇧🇩 Savar	🇧🇩 Kishoreganj	🇧🇩 Rajshahi	🇧🇩 Kutubdia	🇧🇩 Chandanaish	🇧🇩 Louhajang
1975	5.04M	1.42M	0.57M	0.50M	0.46M	0.46M	0.41M	0.37M	0.36M	0.34M	0.22M	0.25M	0.09M	0.06M		0.06M
1976	5.32M	1.49M	0.57M	0.53M	0.47M	0.47M	0.41M	0.38M	0.36M	0.35M	0.25M	0.25M	0.11M	0.07M		0.06M
1977	5.59M	1.57M	0.58M	0.56M	0.47M	0.47M	0.42M	0.39M	0.37M	0.35M	0.27M	0.26M	0.12M	0.08M		0.06M
1978	5.87M	1.65M	0.58M	0.60M	0.48M	0.48M	0.42M	0.41M	0.37M	0.36M	0.29M	0.26M	0.13M	0.09M		0.06M
1979	6.15M	1.73M	0.59M	0.63M	0.48M	0.48M	0.42M	0.42M	0.38M	0.36M	0.31M	0.26M	0.15M	0.10M		0.06M
1980	6.43M	1.81M	0.59M	0.66M	0.49M	0.48M	0.43M	0.43M	0.38M	0.37M	0.33M	0.26M	0.16M	0.11M	0.08M	0.06M
1981	6.82M	1.87M	0.62M	0.70M	0.49M	0.49M	0.43M	0.44M	0.39M	0.37M	0.38M	0.26M	0.18M	0.11M	0.08M	0.07M
1982	7.20M	1.93M	0.64M	0.74M	0.50M	0.49M	0.44M	0.45M	0.39M	0.38M	0.43M	0.27M	0.21M	0.12M	0.09M	0.07M
1983	7.59M	1.99M	0.67M	0.78M	0.51M	0.50M	0.44M	0.46M	0.40M	0.39M	0.48M	0.27M	0.23M	0.12M	0.09M	0.07M
1984	7.98M	2.05M	0.69M	0.82M	0.51M	0.50M	0.45M	0.47M	0.40M	0.39M	0.53M	0.27M	0.25M	0.13M	0.10M	0.07M
1985	8.36M	2.11M	0.71M	0.86M	0.52M	0.50M	0.46M	0.48M	0.41M	0.40M	0.58M	0.27M	0.27M	0.13M	0.10M	0.07M
1986	8.88M	2.18M	0.75M	0.90M	0.53M	0.51M	0.46M	0.49M	0.41M	0.40M	0.63M	0.28M	0.30M	0.14M	0.13M	0.07M
1987	9.40M	2.25M	0.79M	0.94M	0.54M	0.51M	0.46M	0.51M	0.41M	0.41M	0.68M	0.28M	0.33M	0.15M	0.15M	0.07M
1988	9.92M	2.31M	0.83M	0.98M	0.55M	0.51M	0.46M	0.52M	0.42M	0.42M	0.74M	0.28M	0.35M	0.16M	0.18M	0.07M
1989	10.44M	2.38M	0.87M	1.01M	0.56M	0.51M	0.47M	0.53M	0.42M	0.42M	0.79M	0.28M	0.38M	0.17M	0.21M	0.08M
1990	10.97M	2.45M	0.91M	1.05M	0.57M	0.51M	0.47M	0.54M	0.42M	0.43M	0.85M	0.28M	0.41M	0.18M	0.24M	0.08M
1991	11.51M	2.57M	0.97M	1.09M	0.57M	0.51M	0.48M	0.55M	0.43M	0.44M	0.92M	0.30M	0.42M	0.19M	0.26M	0.08M
1992	12.05M	2.68M	1.02M	1.13M	0.57M	0.52M	0.48M	0.57M	0.45M	0.45M	1.00M	0.32M	0.44M	0.20M	0.28M	0.08M
1993	12.60M	2.80M	1.07M	1.16M	0.57M	0.53M	0.49M	0.59M	0.46M	0.46M	1.08M	0.34M	0.45M	0.21M	0.30M	0.08M
1994	13.14M	2.91M	1.12M	1.20M	0.57M	0.53M	0.50M	0.60M	0.47M	0.47M	1.15M	0.35M	0.47M	0.22M	0.32M	0.08M
1995	13.68M	3.03M	1.17M	1.23M	0.58M	0.54M	0.51M	0.62M	0.48M	0.48M	1.23M	0.37M	0.48M	0.23M	0.34M	0.09M
1996	14.43M	3.18M	1.24M	1.26M	0.58M	0.54M	0.52M	0.64M	0.49M	0.49M	1.31M	0.41M	0.49M	0.28M	0.37M	0.10M
1997	15.18M	3.33M	1.30M	1.29M	0.58M	0.55M	0.53M	0.66M	0.50M	0.50M	1.39M	0.45M	0.50M	0.32M	0.39M	0.11M
1998	15.93M	3.48M	1.37M	1.32M	0.58M	0.56M	0.54M	0.69M	0.51M	0.51M	1.47M	0.48M	0.51M	0.37M	0.42M	0.12M
1999	16.68M	3.63M	1.44M	1.35M	0.58M	0.56M	0.54M	0.71M	0.52M	0.52M	1.55M	0.52M	0.52M	0.42M	0.45M	0.13M
2000	17.43M	3.78M	1.50M	1.38M	0.59M	0.57M	0.55M	0.73M	0.53M	0.53M	1.63M	0.56M	0.53M	0.46M	0.47M	0.14M
2001	18.15M	3.83M	1.55M	1.37M	0.58M	0.58M	0.56M	0.75M	0.54M	0.54M	1.69M	0.58M	0.55M	0.49M	0.50M	0.18M
2002	18.86M	3.88M	1.59M	1.36M	0.58M	0.58M	0.57M	0.77M	0.54M	0.55M	1.74M	0.59M	0.56M	0.52M	0.52M	0.22M
2003	19.57M	3.93M	1.63M	1.36M	0.58M	0.59M	0.57M	0.80M	0.55M	0.55M	1.80M	0.61M	0.58M	0.55M	0.55M	0.26M
2004	20.28M	3.98M	1.68M	1.35M	0.58M	0.59M	0.58M	0.82M	0.56M	0.56M	1.85M	0.63M	0.59M	0.58M	0.57M	0.31M
2005	20.99M	4.03M	1.72M	1.34M	0.58M	0.60M	0.59M	0.85M	0.57M	0.56M	1.91M	0.65M	0.61M	0.60M	0.60M	0.35M
2006	21.71M	4.09M	1.77M	1.33M	0.57M	0.60M	0.59M	0.87M	0.57M	0.57M	1.98M	0.66M	0.62M	0.63M	0.62M	0.38M
2007	22.42M	4.14M	1.82M	1.33M	0.57M	0.61M	0.59M	0.89M	0.57M	0.57M	2.04M	0.68M	0.63M	0.65M	0.64M	0.40M
2008	23.13M	4.20M	1.87M	1.32M	0.57M	0.61M	0.59M	0.91M	0.58M	0.57M	2.11M	0.69M	0.64M	0.67M	0.67M	0.43M
2009	23.85M	4.26M	1.92M	1.32M	0.56M	0.61M	0.60M	0.93M	0.58M	0.58M	2.18M	0.70M	0.65M	0.70M	0.69M	0.46M
2010	24.56M	4.31M	1.97M	1.31M	0.56M	0.61M	0.60M	0.95M	0.58M	0.58M	2.25M	0.71M	0.66M	0.72M	0.71M	0.49M
2011	25.32M	4.37M	2.00M	1.29M	0.55M	0.61M	0.60M	0.98M	0.59M	0.58M	2.33M	0.73M	0.67M	0.75M	0.72M	0.51M
2012	26.07M	4.42M	2.03M	1.27M	0.55M	0.61M	0.60M	1.00M	0.59M	0.58M	2.41M	0.74M	0.68M	0.78M	0.73M	0.53M
2013	26.83M	4.48M	2.06M	1.25M	0.54M	0.61M	0.60M	1.02M	0.59M	0.59M	2.49M	0.75M	0.69M	0.81M	0.75M	0.55M
2014	27.58M	4.53M	2.09M	1.22M	0.53M	0.61M	0.61M	1.04M	0.60M	0.59M	2.57M	0.77M	0.70M	0.84M	0.76M	0.57M
2015	28.34M	4.59M	2.12M	1.20M	0.53M	0.61M	0.61M	1.06M	0.60M	0.59M	2.65M	0.78M	0.71M	0.87M	0.77M	0.59M
2016	29.20M	4.62M	2.18M	1.17M	0.51M	0.60M	0.61M	1.07M	0.61M	0.59M	2.72M	0.83M	0.72M	0.88M	0.77M	0.60M
2017	30.06M	4.65M	2.24M	1.15M	0.50M	0.59M	0.62M	1.09M	0.62M	0.60M	2.79M	0.87M	0.72M	0.89M	0.78M	0.61M
2018	30.92M	4.68M	2.29M	1.12M	0.49M	0.59M	0.62M	1.10M	0.63M	0.60M	2.86M	0.92M	0.73M	0.90M	0.79M	0.62M
2019	31.78M	4.71M	2.35M	1.09M	0.48M	0.58M	0.63M	1.12M	0.64M	0.60M	2.93M	0.97M	0.73M	0.92M	0.79M	0.63M
2020	32.64M	4.73M	2.41M	1.07M	0.46M	0.57M	0.63M	1.13M	0.64M	0.60M	3.00M	1.02M	0.73M	0.93M	0.80M	0.63M
2021	33.43M	4.78M	2.51M	1.07M	0.46M	0.57M	0.64M	1.15M	0.65M	0.61M	3.11M	1.08M	0.74M	0.95M	0.83M	0.65M
2022	34.22M	4.83M	2.61M	1.07M	0.46M	0.57M	0.64M	1.18M	0.66M	0.62M	3.22M	1.14M	0.74M	0.98M	0.85M	0.67M
2023	35.01M	4.88M	2.71M	1.07M	0.46M	0.58M	0.65M	1.20M	0.66M	0.63M	3.33M	1.20M	0.75M	1.00M	0.88M	0.69M
2024	35.80M	4.93M	2.81M	1.07M	0.46M	0.58M	0.66M	1.22M	0.67M	0.63M	3.45M	1.26M	0.75M	1.03M	0.90M	0.71M
2025	36.59M	4.98M	2.91M	1.07M	0.46M	0.58M	0.66M	1.24M	0.68M	0.64M	3.56M	1.32M	0.76M	1.05M	0.93M	0.73M
2026	37.43M	5.04M	3.02M	1.08M	0.46M	0.58M	0.67M	1.26M	0.68M	0.65M	3.67M	1.36M	0.76M	1.07M	0.95M	0.75M
2027	38.27M	5.10M	3.13M	1.08M	0.46M	0.58M	0.67M	1.28M	0.69M	0.65M	3.79M	1.40M	0.77M	1.09M	0.97M	0.78M
2028	39.12M	5.17M	3.23M	1.08M	0.46M	0.59M	0.68M	1.30M	0.70M	0.66M	3.91M	1.44M	0.77M	1.12M	0.99M	0.81M
2029	39.96M	5.23M	3.34M	1.09M	0.46M	0.59M	0.69M	1.32M	0.70M	0.67M	4.02M	1.48M	0.78M	1.14M	1.02M	0.84M
2030	40.80M	5.29M	3.45M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.69M	1.34M	0.71M	0.67M	4.14M	1.52M	0.79M	1.16M	1.04M	0.87M
2031	41.53M	5.33M	3.53M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.70M	1.36M	0.71M	0.68M	4.24M	1.57M	0.79M	1.18M	1.05M	0.90M
2032	42.25M	5.37M	3.62M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.70M	1.39M	0.72M	0.68M	4.34M	1.61M	0.80M	1.21M	1.07M	0.92M
2033	42.97M	5.42M	3.71M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.70M	1.41M	0.73M	0.69M	4.44M	1.66M	0.81M	1.24M	1.09M	0.95M
2034	43.69M	5.46M	3.79M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.71M	1.44M	0.73M	0.69M	4.54M	1.70M	0.82M	1.26M	1.11M	0.98M
2035	44.41M	5.50M	3.88M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.71M	1.47M	0.74M	0.70M	4.65M	1.75M	0.82M	1.29M	1.12M	1.00M
2036	45.00M	5.54M	3.97M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.72M	1.49M	0.74M	0.70M	4.77M	1.82M	0.82M	1.30M	1.14M	1.03M
2037	45.59M	5.57M	4.07M	1.09M	0.45M	0.59M	0.72M	1.51M	0.75M	0.71M	4.90M	1.89M	0.83M	1.32M	1.15M	1.06M
2038	46.18M	5.61M	4.16M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.72M	1.53M	0.75M	0.71M	5.02M	1.96M	0.83M	1.34M	1.16M	1.08M
2039	46.77M	5.64M	4.25M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.73M	1.55M	0.75M	0.72M	5.15M	2.03M	0.83M	1.36M	1.17M	1.11M
2040	47.36M	5.68M	4.35M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.73M	1.57M	0.76M	0.73M	5.27M	2.10M	0.83M	1.37M	1.19M	1.14M
2041	47.85M	5.71M	4.41M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.73M	1.58M	0.76M	0.73M	5.35M	2.13M	0.84M	1.39M	1.20M	1.16M
2042	48.35M	5.73M	4.48M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.73M	1.60M	0.76M	0.73M	5.43M	2.17M	0.84M	1.40M	1.22M	1.18M
2043	48.84M	5.76M	4.54M	1.09M	0.44M	0.59M	0.74M	1.61M	0.76M	0.73M	5.50M	2.20M	0.84M	1.41M	1.23M	1.20M
2044	49.34M	5.79M	4.61M	1.09M	0.43M	0.59M	0.74M	1.63M	0.76M	0.73M	5.58M	2.23M	0.85M	1.42M	1.25M	1.22M
2045	49.83M	5.82M	4.68M	1.09M	0.43M	0.59M	0.74M	1.64M	0.77M	0.74M	5.66M	2.27M	0.85M	1.43M	1.26M	1.24M
2046	50.29M	5.85M	4.75M	1.08M	0.43M	0.59M	0.74M	1.65M	0.77M	0.74M	5.73M	2.31M	0.85M	1.44M	1.27M	1.26M
2047	50.75M	5.87M	4.82M	1.08M	0.43M	0.59M	0.74M	1.66M	0.77M	0.74M	5.79M	2.35M	0.85M	1.45M	1.28M	1.28M
2048	51.21M	5.89M	4.90M	1.08M	0.43M	0.59M	0.74M	1.67M	0.78M	0.74M	5.86M	2.39M	0.85M	1.47M	1.29M	1.30M
2049	51.66M	5.91M	4.97M	1.08M	0.42M	0.59M	0.74M	1.68M	0.78M	0.75M	5.92M	2.44M	0.86M	1.48M	1.30M	1.32M
2050	52.12M	5.94M	5.04M	1.08M	0.42M	0.59M	0.75M	1.69M	0.79M	0.75M	5.99M	2.48M	0.86M	1.49M	1.31M	1.34M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Bangladesh?

Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh in the UN 2025 series, with about 36.59 million people. Chattogram follows at 4.98 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Bangladesh in 2050?

The UN projects Dhaka to rank first in 2050, with about 52.12 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Dhaka also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Dhaka, with 5.04 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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