Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 11.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
11.9%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
116th
of 197 countries
All-time high
20.5%
in 2000
All-time low
5.3%
in 1980
Years of data
37
1980–2025
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh, 1980–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh is 11.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh peaked at 20.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 1980.
Bangladesh ranks 116th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.3% | — |
| 1981 | 6.6% | +26.0% |
| 1982 | 6.4% | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 8.1% | +24.9% |
| 1985 | 8.4% | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 9.1% | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 10.5% | +14.7% |
| 1990 | 11.2% | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 11.1% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 12.5% | +13.3% |
| 1993 | 12.1% | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | +25.5% |
| 1999 | 18.1% | +19.3% |
| 2000 | 20.5% | +13.0% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | -9.3% |
| 2002 | 15.7% | -15.6% |
| 2003 | 16.7% | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 16.0% | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 17.3% | +8.7% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 17.8% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 14.0% | -21.3% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | +19.7% |
| 2012 | 15.7% | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 14.0% | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | -9.5% |
| 2016 | 11.0% | -8.3% |
| 2018 | 14.2% | +28.9% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | -38.7% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | +72.1% |
| 2021 | 12.8% | -15.0% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 13.0% | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 12.0% | -7.8% |
| 2025 | 11.9% | -0.9% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 11.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.3%, 83% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 11.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 11.3%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.6% | 5.3% | 10.5% | 8 |
| 1990s | 13.4% | 11.1% | 18.1% | 6 |
| 2000s | 17.2% | 14.0% | 20.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 13.2% | 8.7% | 16.8% | 8 |
| 2020s | 12.8% | 11.9% | 15.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
- 113 Netherlands 12.0% compare
- 114 Azerbaijan 11.9% compare
- 115 China 11.9% compare
- 117 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 11.8% compare
- 118 Lithuania 11.7% compare
- 119 Samoa 11.7% compare
More education data for Bangladesh
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 571,690 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 387,056 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.77 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16.69 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0961 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Bangladesh was 11.9% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 20.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 1980.
- How does Bangladesh rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Bangladesh ranks 116th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release