This document is a technical assistance report by the Asian Bank on the strengthening of housing sector institutions in Bangladesh prepared in 1995. Bangladesh faces a major housing problem. With a very low GNP per capita ($250); very high population densities (over 750 persons per square kilometer in urban areas); and a high population growth rate in urban areas (4.5 percent per year), the standard of shelter is correspondingly low. Approximately 77 percent of urban dwellings and over 98 percent of rural dwellings are not permanent. Overcrowding and minimal or no infrastructure support services are further problems. The latest data suggest that the situation has not improved significantly over the past decade. According to numerous Bangladesh agencies, the plight of low-income households has worsened in recent years, particularly in relation to the provision of basic housing.