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TL;DR
- Bangladesh ranks 84th in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, down from 81st last year, with a score of 19.4.
- Despite the drop in ranking, Bangladesh has improved its hunger score significantly since 2016.
- Key issues include 11.9% undernourishment and high child stunting and wasting rates.
- South Asia continues to face serious hunger challenges, with Bangladesh ranking better than India and Pakistan.
Bangladesh has experienced a slight decline in its ranking on the Global Hunger Index (GHI), moving from 81st place last year to 84th among 127 countries in the 2024 report. This change comes despite the country’s ongoing efforts to combat hunger, as evidenced by its improved score of 19.4 compared to 24.7 in 2016. The GHI, jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, is an annual report that evaluates hunger levels globally using four key indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.
The report highlights that 11.9% of Bangladesh’s population is undernourished, while 23.6% of children under five suffer from stunting, indicating chronic undernutrition. Additionally, 11% of children experience wasting, a sign of acute undernutrition, and 2.9% die before their fifth birthday. These statistics underscore the persistent challenges faced by Bangladesh in addressing hunger and malnutrition.
Despite these challenges, Bangladesh is recognized as one of the few countries that have significantly reduced their GHI scores since 2016, alongside Mozambique, Nepal, Somalia, and Togo. This progress is notable given the broader global context where hunger levels remain serious or alarming in 42 countries.
In South Asia, Bangladesh ranks behind Sri Lanka and Nepal but ahead of India and Pakistan, which are ranked 105th and 109th respectively. The region continues to grapple with high rates of undernutrition driven by poor diet quality, economic difficulties, and the impacts of natural disasters.
Globally, the GHI report indicates that hunger remains a critical issue, with alarming levels observed in countries like Burundi, Chad, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. The index serves as a call to action for governments and organizations worldwide to intensify efforts to alleviate hunger and improve food security.
Bangladesh’s journey reflects both the progress made and the challenges that remain in the fight against hunger. The country’s moderate level of hunger highlights the need for continued strategic interventions to further reduce malnutrition and improve health outcomes for its population.
Source: The Daily Star
