Human Development Index: Bangladesh goes two notches up, 5th in South Asia

Bangladesh moved up two notches in the Human Development Index -- to 133 -- compared to last year.

It remains fifth among the eight South Asian countries covered in the report but bounced up nine notches in the new planetary pressures-adjusted human development index (PHDI), said The Human Development Report (HDR) 2020 of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The report, titled The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene, launched in Bangladesh this morning, six days after the global launch, includes a new experimental index on human progress.

UNDP Bangladesh's Resident Representative, Sudipto Mukerjee, said "To name a few of the obvious, such as a large number of people pushed into poverty due to lost livelihoods, increased inequalities, increased gender-based violence, increased risks of having a large proportion of children and youth dropping out of education, etc."

Despite numerous challenges, Bangladesh is committed to nourishing the health of our planet, and working towards building a "Sonar Bangla," as envisioned by the Father of our Nation," said Planning Minister MA Mannan, who unveiled the report in Bangladesh.

"The strain on our planet mirrors the strain facing many of our societies. Climate change, among other dangerous planetary changes, will only make them worse," he also added.

With the COVID-19 pandemic being the latest crisis facing the world, a new report published globally by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that unless humans release their grip on nature, it won't be the last.

The 30th Anniversary Edition of the report, which usually measures a nation's health, education, and living standards, has been adjusted to include two more elements: a country's carbon dioxide emissions and its material footprint.

The adjustment now shows how the global development landscape would change if both the wellbeing of people and the planet were central to defining humanity's progress. For example, more than 50 countries dropped out of the very high human development group, reflecting their dependence on fossil fuels and material footprint.

"As this report shows, no country in the world has yet achieved very high human development without putting immense strain on the planet. But we could be the first generation to right this wrong. That is the next frontier for human development," said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, during the global launch.

The report states that Bangladesh has made impressive strides in human development. Between 1990 and 2019, Bangladesh's HDI value has increased by 60.4 percent. Bangladesh's 2019 HDI is above the average for countries in the medium human development group.

Between 1990-2019, Bangladesh's life expectancy at birth increased by 14.4 years, mean years of schooling increased by 3.4 years, and expected years of schooling increased by 6.0 years. Bangladesh's GNI per capita also increased by about 220.1 percent between 1990 and 2019.