Literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Literacy rate, adult male was 81.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh, 1981–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh is 81.4%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh peaked at 81.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 39.7%, in 1981.
Bangladesh ranks 64th of 88 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 39.7% | — |
| 1991 | 44.3% | +11.5% |
| 2001 | 53.9% | +21.6% |
| 2011 | 62.5% | +15.9% |
| 2012 | 61.5% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 64.2% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 64.4% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 68.1% | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 75.6% | +11.1% |
| 2017 | 75.7% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 76.7% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 77.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 77.8% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 79.2% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 81.4% | +2.8% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 81.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 83.7%, 97% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 81.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 85.7%, 95% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 39.7% | 39.7% | 39.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 44.3% | 44.3% | 44.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 53.9% | 53.9% | 53.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 69.6% | 61.5% | 77.4% | 9 |
| 2020s | 79.5% | 77.8% | 81.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
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 literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Bangladesh was 81.4% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 81.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.7% in 1981.
- How does Bangladesh rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Bangladesh ranks 64th out of 88 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.