Bangladesh has been ranked 130th out of 193 countries and territories in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This year's edition of the UNDP's flagship publication, the Human Development Report titled "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", based on data from 2023, was released on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has improved its position by one spot from the previous year, when it ranked 131st.
The country's HDI value increased marginally from 0.680 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, keeping Bangladesh in the medium human development category, though edging closer to the threshold for high human development, which begins at an HDI score of 0.700.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development—a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living.
From 1990 to 2023, Bangladesh has recorded an average annual HDI growth rate of 1.67 percent.
The report provided detailed indicators for Bangladesh. The country's life expectancy stands at 74.7 years—76.4 years for females and 73.0 years for males. Expected years of schooling is 12.3, while the mean years of schooling is 6.8. Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is reported at $8,498 in purchasing power parity terms.
The report also highlighted persistent inequality in income distribution within Bangladesh. The poorest 40 percent of the population hold only 20.4 percent of the national income, while the richest 10 percent control 27.4 percent. The top 1 percent alone possess 16.2 percent of the total income.
Among neighbouring countries, India shares the 130th position with Bangladesh. Sri Lanka ranks significantly higher at 89th with an HDI value of 0.776, while Nepal stands at 145th (0.622) and Pakistan at 168th (0.544).
Iceland tops the 2025 Index with an HDI value of 0.972, followed by Norway and Switzerland, both at 0.970. South Sudan remains at the bottom, ranking 193rd with a score of 0.388.
Countries included in the report are classified into four categories based on human development: very high, high, medium, and low. Bangladesh remains in the medium human development group.