Bangladesh ranks 141st in freedom index, 99th in prosperity 

Bangladesh has been placed in the 141st spot in terms of freedom and in the 99th spot in terms of prosperity in the Atlantic Council’s freedom and prosperity report for 2022. 

The report – Freedom and Prosperity  in Bangladesh – has been prepared by the Freedom and Prosperity Center of the Atlantic Council, a US-based think tank.

According to the report, Bangladesh experienced its peak in freedom in 2000, outperforming neighboring countries with a score more than four points higher than the regional average for South and Central Asia. 

However, the trajectory has been less favorable since then, with a steady decline in freedom. Presently, Bangladesh finds itself trailing behind, scoring six points below the regional average and a significant 21.5 points below the global average. 

Bangladesh held the 116th position globally back in 2000, but today it has slipped to 141st.

In 2022, Bangladesh was positioned eighth among the twelve South and Central Asian countries included in the study. Countries like Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka all boast greater degrees of freedom than Bangladesh.

Even Pakistan, which holds the seventh spot in the region, outpaces Bangladesh by a notable margin of 11.5 points. This discrepancy translates into a twenty-eight-rank difference at the global level, underscoring the substantial gap in freedom between the two nations. 

The freedom index comprises political, legal, and economic sub-indices. Among them, economic freedom emerges as a notable area of weakness, with Bangladesh ranking at 146th spot among the 164 countries. Within the region, only three countries — Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — score lower than Bangladesh in this regard. 

Despite being marked as mostly unprosperous, Bangladesh fared comparatively better in terms of prosperity and secured the 99th spot among the 164 countries. 

The report noted that the overall prosperity in Bangladesh has shown a notable increase of 13 points from 1995 to 2022.  

Despite encountering fluctuations along the journey, Bangladesh has made progress and now performs above the regional average by 3.9 points. Furthermore, Bangladesh has narrowed the gap with the global average, initially lagging behind by 9.1 points but now trailing by only 4.8 points. 

The prosperity index comprises several components that collectively contribute to overall prosperity. However, there are some disparities when comparing these components to the regional average of South and Central Asia and the global average. 

While some components like minority rights, inequality, and health exceed both averages, others such as income, environment, and education fall short.

Thanks to the broad definition of prosperity, Bangladesh outperforms some of its neighbors on the overall prosperity score, including India and Pakistan, although the country remains behind India in terms of GDP per capita when adjusted for purchasing-power parity. 

The report noted that Bangladesh has set its sights firmly on the future. Its ambitious Vision 2041 agenda outlines a strategic course toward a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by the year 2041. 

However, recent events paint a complex picture. The January parliamentary elections solidified a shift toward a “dominant-party” system. The ruling Awami League capitalised on an opposition boycott to extend its fifteen-year rule, with prime minister Sheikh Hasina poised to become the world’s longest-serving female head of government. 

While this signifies stability, dominant-party systems often face challenges that can undermine good governance. Ensuring healthy competition across politics, government, and the economy is crucial to mitigate these risks, it added.