Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 45.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh, 1981–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh is 45.5%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 13.1% on the previous year and up 67.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh peaked at 45.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 19.0%, in 1981.
Bangladesh ranks 63rd of 85 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 rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 19.0% | — |
| 1991 | 22.3% | +17.1% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | +28.5% |
| 2011 | 30.2% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 27.2% | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 29.3% | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 32.1% | +9.6% |
| 2015 | 32.1% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 40.0% | +24.8% |
| 2017 | 39.5% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 40.1% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 39.4% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 39.0% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 40.3% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 45.5% | +13.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.0% | 19.0% | 19.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 28.6% | 28.6% | 28.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 34.4% | 27.2% | 40.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 41.6% | 39.0% | 45.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More education data for Bangladesh
- 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Bangladesh was 45.5% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 45.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.0% in 1981.
- How does Bangladesh rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Bangladesh ranks 63rd out of 85 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.5%. 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 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates of older vs. younger population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.