Bangladesh (People's Republic of Bangladesh)

https://www.humantruth.info/bangladesh.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	138th best
Capital	Dhaka
Land Area	130 170km²₁
Location	Asia
Population	161.4m₂
Life Expectancy	72.38yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$5 472 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	BD, BGD, 50₅
Internet Domain	.bd₆
Currency	Taka (BDT)₇
Telephone	+880₈

1. Overview

#bangladesh #hinduism #India #islam #pakistan #water

“Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won independence for Bangladesh in 1971, although at least 300,000 civilians died in the process. The post-independence, AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternately held power since then, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has made great progress in food security since independence, and the economy has grown at an average of about 6 percent over the last two decades.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Gorgeously green yet swamped with people, Bangladesh is a rural wonderland laden with waterways, peppered with villages and bursting with humanity. Bangladeshis are famously friendly, and you are almost certain to receive a warm welcome everywhere you go. The tourism industry is in its infancy and foreign visitors are still an unusual sight outside Dhaka. ... More than 700 rivers flow through this small country and the result is a deliciously lush landscape with more shades of green than you ever imagined. There are almost as many kilometres of rivers in Bangladesh as there are roads, and travelling by boat is a way of life here. This provides a fabulous opportunity to see the country from a more unusual angle. Even if you´re going nowhere in particular, travelling by boat is one of the most rewarding things you can do during your visit. Bangladesh isn´t a tick-the-sights-off-the-list type of country, so slow down, relax and discover new ideas and ways of life.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

Its separation from eastern India created a Bangladesh that is almost entirely geographically within India, but the atmosphere between the two is troublesome and fundamentally unfriendly; particular areas of conflict are water-use surrounding the Ganges, the position of the land border, and of the sea border in the Bay of Bengal, and migration₁₁. These are all made worse by fundamental communal intolerance between Hindus in India and Muslims in Bangladesh, which made any grassroots growth in co-operation seemingly impossible.

Bangladesh and India argue about usage of the water from Ganges and Teesta rivers, along with 52 other shared rives, and from the estuaries that feed them. This water stress is credited as one of the causes of the unfriendly relations between them, and is labelled as an 'unresolvable' issue due to the volume of their joint requirements for water use and complex way the rivers snake between the two countries. India is often found bullying Bangladesh and rejecting or ignoring compromises, but, with 1.4 billion people, it can hardly afford to be kind₁₁.

2. Bangladesh National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₂
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
126	Nicaragua	0.667
127	Bhutan	0.666
128	Cape Verde	0.662
129	Bangladesh	0.661
130	Tuvalu	0.641
131	Marshall Islands	0.639
132	India	0.633
133	Ghana	0.632
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₂
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
131	Cape Verde	$6 230
132	Ghana	$5 745
133	Nicaragua	$5 625
134	Bangladesh	$5 472
135	Angola	$5 466
136	Samoa	$5 308
137	Honduras	$5 298
138	Ivory Coast	$5 217
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
135	Lesotho	105.7
136	Rwanda	106.3
137	Turkmenistan	106.4
138	Bangladesh	106.6
139	N. Korea	106.9
140	Samoa	107.9
141	Saudi Arabia	108.1
142	Gabon	108.9
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Bangladesh's Demographics and Migration

#bangladesh #birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #india #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Bangladesh's population is predicted to rise to 181.86 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.95. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₄. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₅

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
6	Brazil	209.5m
7	Nigeria	195.9m
8	Bangladesh	161.4m
9	Russia	145.7m
10	Japan	127.2m
11	Mexico	126.2m
12	Ethiopia	109.2m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
88	Dominican Rep.	72.6
89	Oman	72.5
90	Belarus	72.4
91	Bangladesh	72.4
92	Peru	72.4
93	Syria	72.1
94	Armenia	72.0
95	Libya	71.9
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₆
Pos.		2022₁₆
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
7	New Caledonia	2.02
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
13	Tunisia	2.06
14	Lebanon	2.08
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₇
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₇
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
72=	Egypt	10.5
72=	Libya	10.5
72=	S. Africa	10.5
75	Bangladesh	10.6
76=	Nepal	10.8
76=	Bhutan	10.8
76=	Micronesia	10.8
79=	Honduras	11.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₈
Pos.		2017 %₁₈
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
157	Mexico	0.9%
158	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	0.9%
159	Zambia	0.9%
160	Bangladesh	0.9%
161	Tanzania	0.9%
162	Mozambique	0.8%
163	Jamaica	0.8%
164	El Salvador	0.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₉
Pos.		2010 %₁₉
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
136	Sweden	3.4%
137	Ghana	3.4%
138	Nepal	3.3%
139	Bangladesh	3.3%
140	Botswana	3.2%
141	Spain	3.0%
142	Central African Rep.	2.9%
143	Angola	2.8%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

Because Bangladesh was separated from India, there are a great many family relations and businesses that span the border and there has never been a comprehensive divide₁₁. According to Indian government statements, there are some sixteen million 'illegal' Bangladeshi immigrants in India₁₁, and the press frequently repeats similar figures. The problem is that the huge border (4000 kms) is porous and surrounded by pre-literate communities who care little for formal divisions that were forced upon them without explanation or consultation. Education and communal support must be developed over a few generations before the concept of the border can be made firm, but, such social development faces cultural resistant and is made impossible by communal animosities.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #Bangladesh #bangladesh_antisemitism #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₂₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₀
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
160	Bahrain	123.9
161	Algeria	124.0
162	Comoros	124.3
163	Bangladesh	124.4
164	Swaziland	124.5
165	Egypt	126.0
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Bangladesh is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Bangladesh does better than average in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₁. But unfortunately Bangladesh gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average when it comes to commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₂, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₃ (still good for Asia), combatting modern slavery₂₄, its average Freedom in the World rating (still good for Asia), opposing gender inequality₂₅, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₆, supporting press freedom₂₇, freethought₂₈ and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₉. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₃₀. Women's rights and safety are both poorly protected and despite already having almost the highest rate of early marriage in the world₃₁ it passed a law in 2017 removing the minimum age for marriage under "special circumstances"₃₂. Bangladesh's "Export Processing Zones" have reduced legal controls on labour abuses and are below minimum international standards, with lots of serious abuse of factory workers₃₁ in the name of creating cheap exports for multinational firms.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Bangladesh

5. Bangladesh's Health

#alcohol #bangladesh #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₃
1	Japan	37.3
2	Singapore	41.1
3	S. Korea	50.5
	...
35	Indonesia	104.1
36	Jordan	106.2
37	Philippines	106.3
38	Bangladesh	107.0
39	India	110.5
40	Cambodia	111.7
41	Myanmar	112.2
42	Tajikistan	112.4
43	Nepal	115.8
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₃
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
124	Belize	106.0
125	Jordan	106.2
126	Philippines	106.3
127	Bangladesh	107.0
128	Botswana	108.2
129	Dominican Rep.	109.1
130	Puerto Rico	109.9
131	Paraguay	110.0
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₄. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₄.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₄, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₄.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #bangladesh #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #smoking

Bangladesh does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Bangladesh does the best in its alcohol consumption rate₃₅ and in the prevalence of overweight adults₃₆. It comes in the best 20 in its fertility rate₁₆. It does better than average for delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₇, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₈, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₉ (but bad for Asia) and in its average life expectancy₁₂. Bangladesh does not succeed in everything, however. Bangladesh does worse than average for childhood mortality in the 2020s₄₀ and in its adolescent birth rate₄₁ (one of the highest in Asia). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to its smoking rate₄₂. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Bangladesh improved steadily by +16.8yrs in the 30 years from 1990, over double the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Bangladesh is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 6.88 in 1970.

“Bangladesh again failed to address its decades-long problem of arsenic in drinking water, with the World Health Organization estimating that 40 million people in the country are affected by arsenic poisoning. [...] In 2017, the government finally began to relocate about a third of the approximately 300 tanneries out of Hazaribagh, a residential area of Dhaka, to a dedicated industrial zone in Savar just outside the capital. The tanneries produce environmentally hazardous waste containing chemicals such as sulfur, ammonium, and chromium. However, many continue to operate [and the government announced delays to their relocation] ”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₄₃

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
88	Dominican Rep.	72.6
89	Oman	72.5
90	Belarus	72.4
91	Bangladesh	72.4
92	Peru	72.4
93	Syria	72.1
94	Armenia	72.0
95	Libya	71.9
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₅
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₅
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
6	Yemen	0.1
7=	Afghanistan	0.2
7=	Saudi Arabia	0.2
9=	Syria	0.3
9=	Pakistan	0.3
11=	Kiribati	0.4
11=	Iraq	0.4
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₆
Pos.		2022₁₆
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
7	New Caledonia	2.02
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
13	Tunisia	2.06
14	Lebanon	2.08
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better₄₂
Pos.		Total %₄₂
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
144	Hungary	32.2%
145	Slovakia	32.5%
146	Greece	32.7%
147	Bangladesh	33.0%
148	Tuvalu	33.7%
149	Latvia	33.9%
150	Lebanon	34.3%
151	France	34.6%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

In the 2000s, Bangladesh was one of only 8 countries that had an average smoking rate of over 50% of the population, although numbers have been making solid improvements each year since then.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
29	Greece	29
30	Nicaragua	30
31	Armenia	31
32	Bangladesh	32
33	Hungary	33
34	Macedonia	34
35	India	35
36	Fiji	36
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		1976 %₃₆
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
4	India	5.5
5	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	5.7
6	Cambodia	5.9
7	Laos	6.2
8=	Bhutan	6.3
8=	Afghanistan	6.3
10	Indonesia	6.6
11	Burkina Faso	6.8
12	Maldives	7.2
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₄₄
Pos.		2022 %₄₄
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
7	Burundi	4.5%
8	Rwanda	4.6%
9	Japan	4.9%
10	Bangladesh	5.3%
11	Niger	5.3%
12	Chad	5.7%
13	Congo, DR	5.8%
14	Burkina Faso	6.1%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₄₁
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₄₁
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
157	Nauru	71.1
158	Honduras	71.3
159	Laos	71.8
160	Bangladesh	73.3
161	Mauritania	76.8
162	Togo	77.0
163	Sao Tome & Principe	77.4
164	Sudan	77.6
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₇
Pos.		Total Avg %₃₇
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
24=	Morocco	98.1
25	Tokelau	98.0
26=	Greece	98.0
26=	Bangladesh	98.0
26=	Maldives	98.0
26=	Turkey	98.0
30=	Belgium	97.9
30=	Bahrain	97.9
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₃₉
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₉
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
77	Norway	94.3
78	Bolivia	94.2
79=	UAE	94.0
79=	Bangladesh	94.0
79=	Tanzania	94.0
79=	Germany	94.0
83	Lithuania	93.9
84	Estonia	93.9
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		Total Per 1000₄₀
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
137	Marshall Islands	35.97
138	Nepal	39.44
139	S. Africa	39.83
140	Bangladesh	40.07
141	Turkmenistan	43.08
142	Gabon	45.25
143	India	45.47
144	Eritrea	47.24
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Bangladesh was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); in the 2000s it was still amongst only 37 countries that fell into the same grouping. After that, its situation changed significantly and it attained the 3rd-highest rate of improvements in the world as it head into the 2010s.

6. Bangladesh's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#bangladesh #biodiversity #burundi #climate_change #congo,_dr #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)₄₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₅
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
9	Jordan	63.1
10	Hong Kong	64.6
11	Cyprus	64.8
12	Bangladesh	69.7
13	Maldives	70.5
14	Yemen	71.9
15	Pakistan	72.0
16	Turkey	75.0
17	China	75.2
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₄₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₅
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
51	Norway	66.9
52	Guinea	67.1
53	El Salvador	67.4
54	Bangladesh	69.7
55	Brazil	70.2
56	Maldives	70.5
57	Ivory Coast	70.8
58	Colombia	70.9
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₆. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Bangladesh is 54th in the world regarding its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is computed from 21 data sets. Bangladesh comes in the best 20 in terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₇ (the best in Asia). It does better than average for the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₈ and in energy to GDP efficiency₄₉. But, things still need to improve in Bangladesh. Bangladesh does worse than average in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₅₀. It sits amongst the bottom 20 in its score on the Green Future Index₅₁ (amongst the worst in Asia). And finally, it is second-from-the-bottom in terms of its environmental performance₅₂.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₅₀
Pos.		Total₅₀
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
153	Philippines	-1.3%
154	British Virgin Islands	-1.4%
155	Cayman Islands	-1.6%
156	Bangladesh	-1.9%
157	US Virgin Islands	-1.9%
158	Sri Lanka	-2.5%
159	Central African Rep.	-2.6%
160	Malaysia	-2.9%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₅₂
Pos.		2018₅₂
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
173	Lesotho	33.8
174	Haiti	33.7
175	Madagascar	33.7
176	Nepal	31.4
177	India	30.6
178	Congo, DR	30.4
179	Bangladesh	29.6
180	Burundi	27.4
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better₄₉
Pos.		2022 Avg₄₉
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
26	Kenya	0.58
27	Yemen	0.59
28	Congo, (Brazzaville)	0.60
29	Bangladesh	0.61
30	Ireland	0.62
31	Dominican Rep.	0.63
32	Haiti	0.63
33	Denmark	0.65
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
96	Turkmenistan	58%
97	Czechia	58%
98	Antigua & Barbuda	57%
99	Bangladesh	57%
100	UAE	57%
101	Belize	57%
102	Bulgaria	57%
103	Honduras	57%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better₄₈
Pos.		2011 %₄₈
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
22	Madagascar	62.8%
23	Uruguay	62.4%
24	Angola	62.4%
25	Bangladesh	61.5%
26	Mali	60.7%
27	Venezuela	60.1%
28	Morocco	60.0%
29	Malta	57.3%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better₄₇
Pos.		2021 kg₄₇
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
4	Madagascar	05.4
5	India	05.7
6	Nigeria	07.0
7	Ethiopia	07.1
8	Rwanda	07.6
9	Mali	07.8
10	Niger	08.1
11	Afghanistan	08.7
12	Uganda	09.4
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

In the 2010s, Bangladesh had the 3rd-lowest meat consumption per person in the world, after Burundi and Congo DR.₄₇

Green Future Index Higher is better₅₁
Pos.		2023 Score₅₁
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
69=	Guatemala	3.6
69=	Russia	3.6
71	Paraguay	3.6
72	Bangladesh	3.5
73	Qatar	3.4
74	Zambia	3.3
75	Algeria	3.1
76	Iran	2.6
	Asia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

7. Bangladesh's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #metric #modernity #religion #religiosity #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)₅₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₃
1	Taiwan	25.4
2	S. Korea	25.5
3	Japan	26.8
	...
41	Iraq	114.3
42	Pakistan	116.8
43	Nepal	117.4
44	Bangladesh	120.0
45	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	133.3
46	Cambodia	140.0
47	Laos	144.3
48	Bhutan	148.3
49	Yemen	155.0
	Asia Avg	83.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₅₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₃
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
149	Senegal	118.4
150	Comoros	118.5
151	Benin	119.5
152	Bangladesh	120.0
153	Burkina Faso	121.6
154	Madagascar	122.4
155	Mali	123.2
156	Haiti	123.9
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₅₄. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₄. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₅.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₅₆

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₄, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₄.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #religion #religiosity #secularisation

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
127	Kuwait	127
128	Vietnam	128
129	Azerbaijan	129
130	Bangladesh	130
131	Mongolia	131
132	Haiti	132
133	Botswana	133
134	Suriname	134
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₅₇
Pos.		2025 %₅₇
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
158=	Benin	90
158=	Cambodia	90
158=	Mauritania	90
158=	Bangladesh	90
158=	Brunei	90
158=	Central African Rep.	90
158=	Botswana	90
158=	Angola	90
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Adopted metric in 1954 (with Pakistan). Progression:

1960 (40%): Traditional units dominant; metric in science.
1970 (60%): Metrication begins post-independence.
1980 (80%): Commerce/education largely metric; rural legacy persists.
2000 (90%): Metric dominant officially.
2025 (90%).

Religiosity Lower is better₅₈
Pos.		2018 %₅₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
71=	Dominican Rep.	78
71=	Iran	78
71=	Tunisia	78
74=	Bangladesh	80
74=	India	80
76	Iraq	82
77=	El Salvador	85
77=	Jordan	85
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better₅₉
Pos.		2006₅₉
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
90=	Oman	83
90=	Syria	83
92=	India	82
92=	Bangladesh	82
92=	Lebanon	82
92=	Dominican Rep.	82
92=	Madagascar	82
97=	Egypt	81
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Secondary Education Higher is better₆₀
Pos.		2018₆₀
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
116	Paraguay	47.8%
117	Nicaragua	47.5%
118	Maldives	47.1%
119	Bangladesh	46.7%
120	St Lucia	46.0%
121	Thailand	44.8%
122	Zambia	44.3%
123	El Salvador	42.8%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₆₁
Pos.		2021 Years₆₁
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
126	Cape Verde	12.6
127	Guyana	12.5
128	Uzbekistan	12.5
129	Bangladesh	12.4
130	Samoa	12.4
131	Congo, (Brazzaville)	12.3
132	San Marino	12.3
133	Botswana	12.3
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#it_security #modernity #technology #the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better₆₂
Pos.		2016₆₂
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
164	Laos	16%
165	Namibia	16%
166	Turkmenistan	15%
167	Bangladesh	13%
168	Iraq	13%
169	Kiribati	13%
170	Rwanda	12%
171	Mali	12%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security Lower is better₆₃
Pos.		2013₆₃
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
74	Sri Lanka	1.67
75	Oman	1.72
76	Iraq	1.84
77	Bangladesh	1.87
78	Sudan	1.98
79	India	2.10
80	Russia	2.42
81	USA	3.68
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₄
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
105=	Laos	0.0
105=	Malta	0.0
105=	Turkmenistan	0.0
105=	Bangladesh	0.0
105=	Qatar	0.0
105=	Kuwait	0.0
105=	Guernsey	0.0
105=	Bahamas	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₅
Pos.		2024₆₅
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
80	Panama	41.6%
81	Paraguay	41.2%
82	Tunisia	40.4%
83	Bangladesh	40.3%
84	Kyrgyzstan	39.5%
85	Jamaica	38.9%
86	Bosnia & Herzegovina	38.8%
87	Trinidad & Tobago	38.1%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Bangladesh's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#bangladesh #capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #morals #nigeria #peace #politics #poverty #qatar #religious_violence #social_development #terrorism

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#bangladesh #charity #corruption #happiness #internationalism #morals #nigeria #politics #qatar

World Giving Index Higher is better₆₆
Pos.		2022 %₆₆
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
97=	Kazakhstan	34.0
97=	Gabon	34.0
97=	Taiwan	34.0
100=	Bangladesh	33.0
100=	Tanzania	33.0
102=	Spain	32.0
102=	Benin	32.0
102=	Jordan	32.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

Corruption Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2022 Points₆₇
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
145=	Cameroon	26.0
145=	Uganda	26.0
147=	Guinea	25.0
147=	Bangladesh	25.0
147=	Iran	25.0
150=	Central African Rep.	24.0
150=	Lebanon	24.0
150=	Guatemala	24.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

In the 1990s, Bangladesh was only included in the Corruption Perception Index data in 1996, where it came 4th-worst. When CPI data collection resumed in 2001, Bangladesh immediately took the worst spot, pushing Nigeria to 2nd-worst. Things improved from 2006 onwards, and overall throughout the 2000s, Bangladesh improved its CPI more than any other country except Qatar.

Happiness Higher is better₆₈
Pos.		2024 Score₆₈
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
131	Zambia	3.9
132	Ethiopia	3.9
133	Sri Lanka	3.9
134	Bangladesh	3.9
135	Egypt	3.8
136	Tanzania	3.8
137	Swaziland	3.8
138	Lesotho	3.8
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
127	Mozambique	127
128	Niger	128
129	Sierra Leone	129
130	Bangladesh	130
131	Kazakhstan	131
132	Guinea	132
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	133
134	Mali	134
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better₆₉
Pos.		Total Q₆₉
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
182	Lebanon	42.2
183	Sri Lanka	42.0
184	S. Sudan	41.8
185	Bangladesh	40.5
186	N. Korea	39.8
187	Libya	39.7
188	Palestine	38.3
189	Nepal	38.0
	Asia Avg	85.1
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
129	Sierra Leone	129
130	Kenya	130
131	Kazakhstan	131
132	Bangladesh	132
133	Indonesia	133
134	Egypt	134
135	Uruguay	135
136	Namibia	136
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better₇₀
Pos.		2023 Score₇₀
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
85=	Angola	2.02
86	Uzbekistan	2.03
87	Guinea-Bissau	2.05
88=	Bangladesh	2.05
88=	Rwanda	2.05
90	Ivory Coast	2.05
91	Tanzania	2.06
92	Thailand	2.06
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
84	Serbia	84
85	Mexico	85
86	Cambodia	86
87	Bangladesh	87
88	Honduras	88
89	Namibia	89
90	Uganda	90
91	Congo, DR	91
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
56	Lithuania	56
57	Ukraine	57
58	Croatia	58
59	Bangladesh	59
60	Seychelles	60
61	Philippines	61
62	Indonesia	62
63	Uganda	63
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₇₁
Pos.		2019 Score₇₁
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
117	Nepal	5.09
118	Burundi	5.10
119	Palestine	5.18
120	Bangladesh	5.21
121	Saudi Arabia	5.24
122	Ethiopia	5.35
123	UK	5.41
124	Burkina Faso	5.42
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better₇₂
Pos.		Total %₇₂
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
	...
70	India	5.25%
71	Kyrgyzstan	5.58%
72	Lebanon	5.89%
73	Bangladesh	5.91%
74	Ecuador	6.03%
75	Peru	6.27%
76	Indonesia	7.68%
77	Tajikistan	7.84%
	Asia Avg	3.54%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₃
Pos.		2019₇₃
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
121=	Sao Tome & Principe	17.00
122=	Bhutan	17.10
122=	Venezuela	17.10
124	Bangladesh	17.30
125	Nepal	17.50
126	Cambodia	18.10
127	Guyana	19.00
128	S. Africa	19.20
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better₇₄
Pos.		2023 %₇₄
1	Slovakia	24.1%₇₅
2	Slovenia	24.3%₇₅
3	Belarus	24.4%₇₆
	...
61	Bosnia & Herzegovina	33.0%₇₇
62	Serbia	33.1%₇₅
63=	Guinea-Bissau	33.4%₇₅
63=	Bangladesh	33.4%₇₈
65=	Macedonia	33.5%₇₉
65=	Georgia	33.5%₇₈
67	Palestine	33.7%₈₀
68=	Tunisia	33.7%₇₅
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better₈₁
Pos.		2018 Severity₈₁
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
63	Myanmar	.176
64	Kenya	.178
65	Comoros	.181
66	Bangladesh	.198
67	Pakistan	.198
68	Haiti	.200
69	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	.210
70	Ivory Coast	.236
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#bangladesh #blasphemy #buddhism #christianity #extremism #hinduism #islam #judaism #morocco #murder #netherlands #religion #religiosity #religious_violence #secularisation

Religiosity (2018)₅₈
Pos.		Lower is better %₅₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
71=	Dominican Rep.	78
71=	Iran	78
71=	Tunisia	78
74=	Bangladesh	80
74=	India	80
76	Iraq	82
77=	El Salvador	85
77=	Jordan	85
79=	Palestine	86
79=	Uganda	86
79=	Chad	86
79=	Niger	86
83=	Kenya	87
83=	Mozambique	87
85=	Congo, DR	88
85=	Nigeria	88
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₈₂:

	2010	2020
Muslim	90.4%	91.1%
Hindu	8.56%	7.9%
Buddhist	0.622%	0.61%
Christian	0.304%	0.3%
Other	0.138%	0.12%
Jewish	None	None
Unaffiliated	None	None

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 100% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 80% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Muslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (2004)₈₃.

When it comes to religious freedom and persecution, sociologists Grim & Finke place Bangladesh into the worst category, along with just 13 other countries. In this category, severe restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of belief stem simultaneously from top-down pressure from government and institutionalized religion, and from bottom-up grassroots movements that often go even further than the government in harassing those who do not believe the right things (2011)₈₄. The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₈₅, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Bangladesh states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. An amendment to the constitution passed in 2011 established Islam as the state religion yet reaffirmed the country is a "secular state".
Section 295A of the penal code states that any person who has "deliberate" or "malicious" intent to "hurt religious sentiments" can be imprisoned. Similarly, the Code of Criminal Procedure includes several clauses (99a-f) that states "the government may confiscate all copies of a newspaper if it publishes anything subversive of the state or provoking an uprising or anything that creates enmity and hatred among the citizens or denigrates religious beliefs."
Cases of Discrimination
On Jan. 4, 2012, the principal of a technical college, Yunus Ali, was arrested for keeping a copy of Taslima Nasrin's book Shame in the school library. The book tells the story of a Hindu family persecuted in Bangladesh. It was deemed blasphemous and banned by the Bangladeshi government in 1993 and Dr. Nasrin was forced to flee abroad to escape blasphemy charges and death threats.
On March 21, 2012, the Dhaka High Court ordered five Facebook pages and a website to be shut down after Dhaka University professors claimed the pages contained remarks and cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad, the Holy Qu'ran, Jesus, Buddha, and the Hindu Gods that insulted religious sentiments.
”
"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₈₆

Threats, violence and mob attacks have led to the murder and harassment of religious minorities and indigenous groups (i.e., non-Muslims).

“Sporadic attacks and threats against religious minorities continued in 2017. In mid-November, a mob of nearly 20,000 looted and burned down over 30 homes in the majority-Hindu Thakurpara village in Rangpur Sadar, in response to rumors that a villager had published a Facebook post defaming the Prophet Muhammad.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₈₇

The Murders of Freethinkers from 2013 Onwards:

“Since 2013 in Bangladesh a horrible spate of killings of freethinkers, secularists and liberals has occurred₈₈. It began with a march of tens of thousands of Muslims on the capital, demanding that the government itself increase censorship of "anti-Muslim" content. Students, community leaders and University professors alike have been hacked to death with machetes as a result of putting content online that is pro-science, pro-secularist, anti-war crimes, or which advocate LGBT tolerance. One extremist group openly published a list of 84 of their targets and in 2016 Apr the rate of murders increased to one a week. The Bangladesh government has done very little to curb the extremists. Murders for blasphemy against Islam do not just occur in Muslim counties; there is a long and unfortunate history of the same occurring in Europe and elsewhere - Theo van Gogh was killed in Amsterdam by a Dutch Moroccan Muslim for making a film criticizing Islam's attitude towards women.”
"Blasphemy and Censorship: In Christianity and Islam: 4.1. Islam: Blasphemy and Censorship" by Vexen Crabtree (2012)

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