With a score of 19.4, Bangladesh has been ranked 84th out of 127 countries on the GHI-2024, placing it in the “moderate hunger” category
Just a year after seeing a significant progress in the annual worldwide study, Bangladesh went three steps down in the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI) but still managed to stay well above India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
With a score of 19.4, Bangladesh has been ranked 84th out of 127 countries on the GHI-2024, placing it in the “moderate hunger” category.
The report, unveiled during an event in Dhaka on Wednesday, underscored the urgency of addressing hunger and malnutrition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero hunger.
The event, themed “On the Path to a Hunger-Free Bangladesh: Obstacles and Ways to Overcome Those,” was jointly organised by Welthungerhilfe Bangladesh and Concern Worldwide.
Women and girls face the brunt of food insecurity and malnutrition, primarily due to unequal food distribution, climate change, entrenched social norms, and limited access to education and training, according to experts.
Bangladesh had ranked 81st among 125 countries in the GHI-2023.
Per the latest ranking, Bangladesh’s GHI score places it ahead of India (105th, score 27.3), Pakistan (109th, score 27.9), and Afghanistan (116th, score 30.8), but behind Myanmar (15.7), Nepal (14.7), and Sri Lanka (11.3).
While Bangladesh has made remarkable strides in reducing hunger — improving from a score of 33.8 in 2000 — experts caution that the pace of progress remains insufficient to meet global commitments such as SDG-2.
According to the GHI 2024, around 12% of Bangladesh’s population is undernourished. Furthermore, 2.9 percent of children die before turning five, 11 percent are wasted, and 23.6 percent are stunted.
Addressing the report launch, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter emphasised the importance of food self-sufficiency and safety, noting, “We cannot satisfy our hunger by bringing food from outside. If the food is unsafe, it is useless to be free from hunger.”
The event highlighted the transformative role of youth in shaping equitable and sustainable food systems. YouthNet Global’s initiatives on climate justice and nutrition were particularly praised by Farida Akhter, who recognized young leaders as key drivers of fairness, accountability, and justice.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock highlighted its efforts to ensure protein supply and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Farida Akhter emphasised the need to encourage women in char areas to rear livestock and contribute to food security.
Pankaj Kumar, country director of Welthungerhilfe Bangladesh, stressed the need for community-driven solutions, inclusive policies, and climate resilience to tackle hunger. He added, “We must empower youth and marginalised groups to design and govern food systems, ensuring no one is left behind.”
Gender discrimination was also identified as a major barrier to achieving climate resilience and food security.
Manish Kumar Agrawal, country director of Concern Worldwide, noted that achieving gender justice requires systemic change at all levels.
Experts at the event called for policies grounded in human rights obligations and international law to combat hunger and malnutrition. They also urged the integration of climate resilience and gender justice into food systems to break the cycle of hunger and malnutrition.
The event concluded with a consensus on the importance of inclusive, multi-stakeholder approaches to overcoming hunger and achieving a sustainable, hunger-free future for Bangladesh.
