Bangladesh’s position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024 has slipped by three notches.
According to the latest report published on Friday, Bangladesh scored 19.4, ranking 84th among 127 nations against last year’s 81st position with a score of 19.
The level of hunger has been classified as “moderate.”
The decline in the ranking this year points to increased hunger, particularly among children, with many suffering from acute malnutrition.
The GHI evaluates nations based on four key indicators: malnutrition levels, child stunting, wasting, and mortality. Lower scores indicate better performance. In Bangladesh, 11.9% of children are malnourished, and 2.9% of children die before their fifth birthday. Chronic malnutrition has resulted in 23.6% of children under five being stunted, while 11% experience wasting, where weight does not increase in proportion to height.
Among its South Asian neighbours, Bangladesh ranks higher than India (105th), Pakistan (109th), and Afghanistan (116th), while Sri Lanka (56th) and Nepal (68th) have performed better.
The report also highlights that hunger remains a critical issue globally, with six countries facing alarming levels of hunger, including Burundi, Chad, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. In 36 other countries, hunger is designated as serious, while many nations have seen a regression since 2016.