Bangladesh moves up 3 places in HDI rank

Staff Correspondent: Bangladesh has improved three steps in Human Development Index (HDI), placing 139th out of 188 countries.

The report was officially launched at the Planning Commission in the capital by the General Economics Division, the Planning Commission and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Wednesday.

Economic Relations Division and UNDP country director Dr. Selim Jahan jointly made a presentation on the report.

Meanwhile, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal attended the program.

According to the annual report, Bangladesh is considered a ‘medium development country’ and achieved an HDI value of 0.579 in 2015. The latest figure continues the upward trend for Bangladesh’s HDI, which stood at 0545 in 2010, 0.468 in 2000 and 0.386 in 1990.

Bangladesh’s average annual HDI growth rate from 1990-2015 also compares favourably to all other South Asian countries, coming in at 1.64 percent. India’s, for comparison, was 1.52 percent.

Bangladesh’s HDR ranking, however, is still fifth among South Asian nations, behind Sri Lanka at 73, Maldives at 105, India at 131 and Bhutan at 132.

Norway (0.949) topped the HDR 2016 list, while Central African Republic (0.352) brought up the rear.


risingbd/Dhaka/Apr 5, 2017/Hasibul/Nasim