Accra:Bangladesh has been ranked 84th among 122 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026, achieving a score of 19.2, which places the nation in the 'moderate' hunger category.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, there has been a 4 percent improvement in Bangladesh's GHI score, decreasing from 20.0 in 2018 to 19.2 in 2026. Previously, from 2000 to 2018, the country's score improved by more than 42 percent, dropping from 34.6 to 20.0.
The GHI assesses hunger through four key indicators undernourishment in the population, child wasting, child stunting, and under-five mortality. The latest figures for Bangladesh show that 8.2 percent of the population is undernourished. Among children under five, 24 percent are stunted, 12.9 percent suffer from wasting, and 3.0 percent die before their fifth birthday. Child stunting has seen a notable decline from 54.9 percent in 2000 to 24.0 percent, marking a reduction of 30.9 percentage points.
The data reflects mixed progress in child nutrition. While the prevalence of stunting decreased from 29.8 percent in 2018 to 24 percent, and under-five mortality fell from 3.3 percent to 3 percent, child wasting unfortunately increased from 8.4 percent in 2018 to 12.9 percent. The proportion of the population facing undernourishment also improved, declining from 12.1 percent to 8.2 percent.
In the South Asian region, Bangladesh outperformed Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, while Nepal and Sri Lanka ranked higher. Afghanistan ranked 108th with a score of 28.6, Pakistan 106th with 25.5, and India 100th with 24.1, all in the 'serious' hunger category. Nepal and Sri Lanka ranked 72nd with a score of 14.5 and 53rd with 10.2, respectively, both in the 'moderate' category.
Overall, South Asia recorded a GHI score of 24.0, placing it in the serious hunger category, while the global score stood at 18.1, classified as moderate.