Reproductive Change in Bangladesh and the Latent Demand Hypothesis: What is the Evidence?

Three phases of changing population growth in Bangladesh can be identified. The first phase, upto 1931, was the period of very low growth, often even negative growth in specific years, characterized by moderately high fertility and very high mortality levels. The second phase, between 1931 and 1981, was a period of rising growth, even "explosive" growth rates nearing 3 per cent per annum, characterized by falling mortality levels but unchanging fertility levels. This was followed by a third phase upto the present of declining population growth rate, characterized by continued falling mortality levels but at a slower pace and falling fertility levels since the mid-1970s, with the decline in population growth rate gaining momentum after 1985.