Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes was 53.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
53.2%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
31st
of 40 countries
All-time high
53.8%
in 2016
All-time low
29.3%
in 1981
Years of data
12
1981–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh, 1981–2019

02040601981200020191981: 29.3 %1991: 33.4 %2001: 41.2 %2011: 40.7 %2012: 39.1 %2013: 44.8 %2014: 51.8 %2015: 47 %2016: 53.8 %2017: 53.4 %2018: 53.5 %2019: 53.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh stood at 53.2%.

The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 30.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh peaked at 53.8% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 29.3%, in 1981.

That places Bangladesh 31st out of 40 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes (%) in Bangladesh, 1981 to 2019.
Year % Change
1981 29.3%
1991 33.4% +13.9%
2001 41.2% +23.5%
2011 40.7% -1.2%
2012 39.1% -3.9%
2013 44.8% +14.4%
2014 51.8% +15.8%
2015 47.0% -9.4%
2016 53.8% +14.6%
2017 53.4% -0.8%
2018 53.5% +0.2%
2019 53.2% -0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 29.3% 29.3% 29.3% 1
1990s 33.4% 33.4% 33.4% 1
2000s 41.2% 41.2% 41.2% 1
2010s 48.6% 39.1% 53.8% 9

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 28 Kuwait 67.8% compare
  2. 29 Cambodia 67.0% compare
  3. 30 Guatemala 65.8% compare
  4. 32 Tunisia 51.1% compare
  5. 33 Egypt 50.8% compare
  6. 34 Iran, Islamic Republic of 46.7% compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More reference data data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh was 53.2% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 53.8% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 29.3% in 1981.
How does Bangladesh rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 31st out of 40 countries with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 30.5%. 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, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-urban-both-sexes-percent/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
40 places, 370 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population age 65 and above in urban areas who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 65 years and over by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/