Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 70.7% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
70.7%
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
66th
of 83 countries
All-time high
70.7%
in 2019
All-time low
26.9%
in 1981
Years of data
13
1981–2019

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh, 1981–2019

0204060801981200020191981: 26.9 %1991: 32 %2001: 42 %2007: 41.4 %2011: 53.2 %2012: 52.3 %2013: 53.7 %2014: 54.3 %2015: 59.4 %2016: 68.1 %2017: 68.5 %2018: 69.8 %2019: 70.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Bangladesh recorded 70.7% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 70.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh peaked at 70.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 1981.

Bangladesh ranks 66th of 83 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in Bangladesh, 1981 to 2019.
Year % Change
1981 26.9%
1991 32.0% +19.0%
2001 42.0% +31.2%
2007 41.4% -1.6%
2011 53.2% +28.7%
2012 52.3% -1.9%
2013 53.7% +2.8%
2014 54.3% +1.0%
2015 59.4% +9.4%
2016 68.1% +14.7%
2017 68.5% +0.7%
2018 69.8% +1.8%
2019 70.7% +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 26.9% 26.9% 26.9% 1
1990s 32.0% 32.0% 32.0% 1
2000s 41.7% 41.4% 42.0% 2
2010s 61.1% 52.3% 70.7% 9

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 63 Madagascar 72.6% compare
  2. 64 India 71.6% compare
  3. 65 Morocco 71.4% compare
  4. 67 Rwanda 70.4% compare
  5. 68 Uganda 69.9% compare
  6. 69 Egypt 67.5% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh was 70.7% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 70.7% in 2019.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 1981.
How does Bangladesh rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 66th out of 83 countries with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 70.9%. 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 Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,220 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population between age 25 and age 64 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 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.