BANGLADESH STUDENT HOUSING MARKET
Comprehensive Analysis: $1.5B Total Market — Asia's Most Underserved Student Housing Opportunity
4.7M students, 46K formal beds, 0.03% PBSA penetration vs UK 35% — World's largest unaddressed institutional opportunity.
Supply Analysis
Zero institutional PBSA presence — single Chinese operator (Super Hostel BD) with 1,200 beds represents entire organized market
Rental Rates by Segment (Monthly)
Super Hostel BD at ৳8-12K/month is only institutional-grade option
Market Structure
Unorganized sector dominates — ZERO institutional PBSA penetration
Supply by City: Current Beds
Dhaka dominates with 57% of beds but only 26K supply for 3.5M metro students
Current Operators — Effectively Zero Competition
Super Hostel BD (Chinese-owned) is ONLY institutional operator in entire country
| Operator | Type | Beds | Cities | Target Segment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Hostel BD | Chinese-owned | 1,200 | Dhaka only | Working professionals | ONLY institutional operator |
| University Halls | Public institution | 45,000 | All divisions | Public uni students | Severe overcrowding ("gono rooms") |
| Informal Hostels | Unorganized | 500,000 | National | Budget students | No standards, safety issues |
| Private Sublets | Individual owners | 1,500,000 | National | All segments | Dominant segment, variable quality |
Demand Analysis & Supply Gap
102 students per formal bed (vs UK 3:1) — severe accommodation crisis with documented overcrowding
Students per Bed by City
Other regions at 198:1 — all cities in severe crisis vs UK 3:1 benchmark
University On-Campus Coverage
Even top public universities cover only 20-45% of demand
Supply-Demand Analysis by City
All cities in critical undersupply — Dhaka alone needs 499K beds at 15% penetration
| City | Students | Current Beds | Students/Bed | Gap (15% pen.) | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhaka Metro | 3,500,000 | 26,080 | 134:1 | 498,920 | 🔴 EXTREME |
| Chittagong | 450,000 | 5,400 | 83:1 | 62,100 | 🔴 CRITICAL |
| Khulna | 120,000 | 2,000 | 60:1 | 16,000 | 🟡 HIGH |
| Rajshahi | 150,000 | 8,000 | 18.8:1 | 14,500 | 🟡 HIGH |
| Sylhet | 80,000 | 2,500 | 32:1 | 9,500 | 🟡 HIGH |
| Other | 400,000 | 2,020 | 198:1 | 57,980 | 🟡 HIGH |
| TOTAL | 4,700,000 | 46,000 | 102:1 | 659,000 |
Student Distribution by City
Dhaka Metro = 74.5% of national enrollment (3.5M students)
Top Universities by Enrollment
Top 6 traditional unis = 184K students (excl. distance learning)
Investment Analysis & Market Entry
ZERO institutional transactions — first-mover advantage available for patient capital
Investment Thesis
0.03% penetration vs UK 35% ensures generational first-mover opportunity; 659K bed shortfall = world's largest greenfield PBSA market
Market Risk Zones
🟢 INVEST — Priority
- Dhaka Metro (Gulshan, Banani, Bashundhara)
- Private university clusters
- 74.5% of national demand
- Only location with institutional precedent
🟡 SELECTIVE — Secondary
- Chittagong (9.6% of students)
- Growing private sector
- Port city dynamics
- Patient capital required
🔴 HARVEST — Avoid (Initial)
- Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna
- Smaller markets
- Public uni dominated
- Consider only after Dhaka success
Strategic Imperatives
Dhaka First
Concentrate on Dhaka Metro (74.5% of students, 70% of addressable demand) for initial market entry
Private Uni Focus
Target NSU/BRAC/IUB clusters — 95K+ students with ZERO institutional housing = captive demand
Local Partnership
Partner with established developers (Bashundhara, BTI) to navigate regulatory/political landscape
Premium Positioning
International-grade amenities at ৳12-18K/month to capture A-tier private uni students