How Dhaka Became One of the World’s Largest Cities

Dhaka’s rise as one of the world’s largest cities did not happen suddenly. It is the result of decades of demographic change, economic concentration, and rapid urbanization. Like many cities in Asia, Dhaka grew alongside global shifts in population movement from rural areas to urban centers.

In 1950, only 20% of the world’s population lived in cities. Since then, urban living has expanded dramatically. Today, cities accommodate nearly half of the global population, and Dhaka reflects this transformation more intensely than most cities due to its role as Bangladesh’s political, economic, and administrative hub.

Several long-term factors contributed to Dhaka’s explosive population growth:

• Continuous migration from rural districts as people moved to the capital seeking employment and better living standards

• Rapid expansion of the garment and manufacturing sectors, which created millions of urban jobs

• Concentration of education, healthcare, and government institutions in the capital city

• Limited development of secondary cities in Bangladesh, forcing migration toward Dhaka

As economic and social opportunities increased in the capital, people followed in large numbers, resulting in sustained population pressure over many decades.

Dhaka’s Global Position Among Megacities

The global number of megacities—urban areas with more than 10 million inhabitants—has increased rapidly over the last half century. This growth highlights how urban populations are becoming increasingly concentrated in a small number of very large cities.

Key global megacity trends include:

• 1975: Only 8 megacities worldwide

• 2025: 33 megacities globally

• More than half of these megacities are located in Asia

Within this group of global urban giants:

• Jakarta ranks first with nearly 42 million people

• Dhaka ranks second with almost 40 million residents

• Tokyo follows with approximately 33 million people

Dhaka’s position is particularly notable because it achieved this ranking with a very limited land area, making it one of the most densely populated major cities in the world.

Population Density and Living Pressure in Dhaka

Knowing how many people live in Dhaka is important, but understanding how those people live provides deeper insight into the city’s challenges.

Dhaka faces intense pressure on its urban systems due to its high population density, including:

• Extremely high population concentration per square kilometer

• Severe housing shortages, especially for low- and middle-income residents

• Traffic congestion and overloaded transportation networks

• Heavy pressure on water supply, sanitation, and waste management systems

In many parts of the city, millions of residents live in tightly packed neighborhoods, informal settlements, and mixed residential-commercial zones, where infrastructure struggles to keep pace with demand.

Dhaka and the Bigger Urbanization Picture

Dhaka’s growth is part of a broader global trend of accelerating urbanization. Cities are now absorbing the majority of population growth worldwide.

Key global urbanization facts include:

• Cities currently house 45% of the world’s population

• By 2050, around two-thirds of global population growth will occur in urban areas

• Asia and Africa will account for most new urban population growth

Dhaka stands as a clear example of this pattern, demonstrating both the economic benefits of urban concentration and the structural challenges that come with rapid and unplanned expansion.

Why Small Cities Matter—Despite Dhaka’s Size

Although Dhaka dominates attention due to its massive population, global settlement data shows that most people do not live in megacities.

Globally:

• 96% of cities have fewer than 1 million inhabitants

• 81% of cities have populations below 250,000

• Small and medium-sized cities are often growing faster than megacities

However, Bangladesh’s centralized development structure has resulted in Dhaka absorbing a disproportionate share of national population growth, while smaller cities develop more slowly.