Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Within Region data was reported at 15.410 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.322 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Within Region data is updated yearly, averaging 15.320 % from Dec 1973 (Median) to 2023, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.546 % in 1998 and a record low of 3.233 % in 1983. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Within Region data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Imports. Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Middle East & North Africa data was reported at 1.361 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.533 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Middle East & North Africa data is updated yearly, averaging 0.838 % from Dec 1973 (Median) to 2023, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.941 % in 1976 and a record low of 0.317 % in 2004. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Middle East & North Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Imports. Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle East and North Africa are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Middle East and North Africa region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Summary measures of Socio-economic status (SES) inequality in DBMHL in Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data was reported at 4.863 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.551 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data is updated yearly, averaging 1.776 % from Dec 1973 (Median) to 2023, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.231 % in 2020 and a record low of 0.023 % in 1982. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Imports. Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America and the Caribbean are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Latin America and the Caribbean region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America & the Caribbean (% of total merchandise imports) in Bangladesh was reported at 4.8628 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Merchandise imports from developing economies in Latin America & the Caribbean (% of total merchandise imports) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Europe & Central Asia data was reported at 1.550 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.973 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Europe & Central Asia data is updated yearly, averaging 0.669 % from Dec 1973 (Median) to 2023, with 49 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.630 % in 2009 and a record low of 0.001 % in 1981. Bangladesh BD: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Europe & Central Asia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Imports. Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe and Central Asia are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Europe and Central Asia region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata. DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Africa SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743. FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.

Bangladesh Market Outlook

The Bangladesh market size is projected to grow significantly, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.5% from 2023 to 2032. The global market size for 2023 is $411 billion, and it is forecasted to reach approximately $685 billion by 2032. This growth is driven primarily by an expanding industrial base, increased foreign investment, and a burgeoning middle class with rising disposable incomes.

One of the key growth factors for the Bangladesh market is the robust expansion of the textiles and garments industry. As one of the largest sectors in the country, it accounts for a significant portion of export revenue and employment. Favorable government policies, such as tax incentives and the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), have spurred further investment and production capacity in this sector. Additionally, the global shift towards sustainable and ethical fashion has created opportunities for Bangladeshi manufacturers to capture new market shares by adhering to international standards and certification.

Another critical factor contributing to the market growth is the rapid development of the pharmaceutical industry. Bangladesh has emerged as a significant player in the global pharmaceutical landscape, primarily due to its ability to produce generic drugs at competitive prices. The industry has benefited from consistent government support, including relaxed regulatory frameworks and incentives for research and development. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for robust healthcare infrastructure, leading to increased investment in medical facilities and pharmaceutical production capabilities.

The burgeoning Information Technology (IT) sector is also a major growth driver. With a young, tech-savvy population, Bangladesh has seen a surge in IT-related activities, including software development, IT services, and business process outsourcing (BPO). Government initiatives such as the Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021 have played a pivotal role in fostering an environment conducive to IT growth. This push towards digital transformation has also attracted significant foreign direct investment (FDI), further bolstering the sector.

Regionally, Dhaka remains the economic powerhouse of Bangladesh, contributing a substantial portion to the country's GDP. The city has seen significant infrastructure development, including the construction of metro lines and expressways, which facilitate business operations and attract investments. Chittagong, as a major port city, also plays a crucial role in the country's trade dynamics, handling a large volume of imports and exports. Khulna and Rajshahi, while smaller in comparison, are growing economic centers with increasing industrial activities and investment opportunities.

Industry Analysis

Textiles and Garments Analysis

The textiles and garments industry is the cornerstone of Bangladesh's economy, accounting for about 84% of the country’s total exports. This sector has experienced exponential growth due to several favorable conditions, including abundant labor supply, competitive labor costs, and supportive government policies. The establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) has provided a controlled environment for businesses to operate efficiently, thereby attracting foreign investors. Additionally, the global trend towards sustainable and ethical production practices has led Bangladeshi manufacturers to adopt international standards, thereby opening new export markets.

Bangladesh's comparative advantage in this sector lies in its ability to produce garments at a lower cost compared to other countries. The availability of a large, skilled, and semi-skilled workforce has made it possible for manufacturers to produce high volumes at competitive prices. Moreover, government incentives such as tax holidays, subsidies, and reduced import duties on raw materials have further fueled growth in this sector. The implementation of advanced technologies like automated sewing machines and cutting-edge design software has also enhanced production efficiency and quality.

The industry's growth is not without its challenges. Issues such as poor labor conditions, safety concerns, and environmental impacts have drawn international scrutiny. However, significant strides have been made to address these issues through initiatives like the Bangladesh Accord and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, which aim to improve factory safety and workers' rights. Additionally, th

Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South Asia (% of total merchandise imports) in Bangladesh was reported at 15.41 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Merchandise imports from developing economies in South Asia (% of total merchandise imports) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: Sub-Saharan Africa data was reported at 0.676 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.629 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: Sub-Saharan Africa data is updated yearly, averaging 1.102 % from Dec 1972 (Median) to 2023, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.933 % in 1975 and a record low of 0.404 % in 2006. Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: Sub-Saharan Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Exports. Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to low- and middle-income economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa region according to World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Adequate investment in human capital development is critical for enabling Bangladesh to reach its goal of becoming an upper middle-income country. Bangladesh, currently a lower-middle country with an annual per capita gross national income (GNI) of USD 1,470 (WDI 2019), aims to attain upper-middle income status by 2021 and eliminate poverty by 2030. Recognizing the importance of investing in education for building its human capital base, the government of Bangladesh (GoB) has been allocating a large portion of the national budget to the education sector each year during the past two decades. Effective utilization and equitable distribution of allocated public spending is important for ensuring adequate progress in education outcomes. This report analyzes major spending and outcomes trends in the overall education sector in recent years, with a focus on primary and secondary education. Responding to the recommendation of the 2015 Bangladesh Public Expenditure Review Update for more analytical work on public spending in different sectors, including education, the current study analyzes the trends in major education expenditures, access to education, quality of education, and disparities in education outcomes in the past two decades. It also looks at the composition of education expenditure, consistency between budget allocations and actual expenditures, equity in education spending, and potential links between spending and key educational outcomes. Because of data limitations, this report focuses mainly on primary and secondary education. It is expected that this analysis will add to the literature on investments in the Bangladesh education sector and inform discussions on identifying policy priorities and making resource allocation decisions in the sector.

Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports) in Bangladesh was reported at 50.58 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Merchandise imports from developing economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Association between selected covariates and discrimination against women in Bangladesh.

Childhood wasting is a global problem and is significantly more pronounced in low and middle income countries like Bangladesh. Socio Economic Status (SES) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices may be significantly associated with wasting. Most previous research is consistent about the role of SES, but the significance of WASH in the context of wasting remains ambiguous. The effect of SES and WASH on weight for length (WHZ) is examined using a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to explicitly describe the direct and indirect role of WASH in the context of SES.A nationally representative survey of 10,478 Bangladeshi children under 5 were examined. An expert defined SEM was used to construct latent variables for SES and WASH. The SEM included a direct pathway from SES to WHZ and an indirect pathway from SES to WHZ via WASH along with regression of relevant covariates on the outcome WHZ and the latent variables. Both SES (p

Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: South Asia data was reported at 4.537 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.118 % for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: South Asia data is updated yearly, averaging 3.171 % from Dec 1972 (Median) to 2023, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.181 % in 1984 and a record low of 0.538 % in 1972. Bangladesh BD: Exports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Exports: South Asia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Exports. Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in South Asia are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to low- and middle-income economies in the South Asia region according to World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.;World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.;Weighted average;

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a huge public health, development and human rights issue worldwide. Despite the fact that working women in patriarchal contexts commonly report higher level of IPV, literature on this subject is still scanty. This paper assessed the magnitude of different types of IPV against female garment workers and identified its correlates using cross-sectional survey data collected during September-December, 2016 from 800 female garment workers randomly selected from lists provided by eight garment factories in and around Dhaka, Bangladesh. The results reveal high levels of IPV experienced by the workers (physical = 34%; sexual = 43%; economic = 35%, last 12 months). Logistic regression results were nuanced. While the worker’s ability to mobilize resources in crises reduced IPV, her savings beyond a threshold increased its likelihood. Moreover, her ownership of jewellery/ large household assets increased the likelihood of IPV. Having moderately or highly controlling husband, substance abuse by husband and his involvement in extramarital sex predicted IPV. Although the worker’s education up to 6 years or more was protective, education more than the husband increased the likelihood of IPV. Young age, having two or more children, experience of non-partner sexual violence and high acceptance of IPV increased the likelihood of IPV. Middle income group protected against IPV, while household food insecurity increased its likelihood. Work at a factory in the Export Processing Zone protected against IPV. The findings indicate that financial empowerment alone is not sufficient to protect the workers from IPV; interventions that combine gender empowerment training for workers in the context of better factory working conditions may be useful in reducing IPV; working with men is essential in this endeavour.

Abstract

This survey is one of the first large, nationally representative surveys of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a developing country. The NGO sector in Bangladesh is highly organized and relatively homogeneous. Most NGOs utilize a branch and headquarters structure in which branches have limited autonomy from headquarters. At the branch level, most NGOs in the country, whether big or small, focus on credit services, derive more of their income from fees for services than from grants, rely on salaried rather than voluntary staff, keep detailed financial accounts that are externally audited, and hire middle-class college educated men as managers. The convergence to a modal institutional form probably is the result of the persuasive power of ideas, sociological pressures toward acculturation and conformity, as well as material incentives.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Non-governmental organization

Universe

What counts as an NGO is an important question for a survey like this one. No answer is self-evident, and the definition chosen depends in large part on the purpose of the research. Because the objective of this research project was to analyze NGOs that are involved in what the donors and government call ''development,'' organizations were deemed NGOs if they appeared on any of the lists used to synthesize the sample frame, or, if the NGOs were discovered during the field enumeration, reports from informed observers suggested that the NGOs were engaged in activities that are generally considered development work in Bangladesh, such as the provision of safe drinking water, sanitation, health care, adult and child education, agricultural training, roads construction, transport, skills training, land rights/tenure, credit, arsenic reduction, environmental work, employment generation, poverty reduction, advocacy in any of these areas, or other related topics. Although the survey questionnaire itself focused on the attributes of NGOs as service providers, they did not have to be engaged in service provision to be included in the sample frame; NGOs engaged in ''consciousness raising'' were also included. In fact, as the results below show, most NGOs were involved in both service provision and consciousness raising. Registration with the NAB is a precondition for obtaining foreign funding in Bangladesh. Because that list constituted an important element of the initial sample frame, the NGOs that were surveyed were typically those that had either applied for foreign funding or that might have considered themselves in a position to do so. The Department of Social Services keeps a separate list of ''social welfare'' or non-profit organizations in the country. That list is much broader than the list kept by the NAB, includes organizations as diverse as mosques, trade unions, tea clubs, and local sports leagues, and includes over 23,000 organizations. That list was not used for the construction of the sample frame because the activities of those organizations, while important for understanding the broader context of civil society organizations in Bangladesh, were not the subject of this research.

Two final points should be emphasized. First, the site to which the questionnaires were applied were the field branches of NGOs (and the headquarters offices of smaller NGOs if the headquarters offices were also engaged in direct development work with communities). Most NGOs in Bangladesh, even the smaller ones, had both field offices and headquarters. Because central headquarters often did not have comprehensive information about the activities and resources of field offices, the survey was applied to the branches themselves. A detailed analysis of the resources and governance of the branches from the point of view of the headquarters staff, while important both to validate the findings at the branch level and to obtain a fuller portrait of resources, the flow of funds, and governance, was beyond the scope of this study.

Second, the data presented here were provided by the NGO managers, and there may be discrepancies between self-reporting and what a thorough review of accounts, based on an external audit, might have revealed.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The selection of NGO relied on a two-stage sampling design. The initial sample frame was constructed by merging a list of known NGOs from the government's NGO Affairs Bureau (NAB), a list of members of the Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB), and lists of the branches of the larger NGOs. On the basis of that synthesized list, 35 political-administrative units, thanas, were selected according to a procedure in which the probability of selection was proportional to estimated size, where size was understood as the share of registered NGOs in the thana. Before selecting NGOs to interview in each thana, survey interviewers conducted a field enumeration of the actual number of NGOs operating in the selected thanas. Employing that updated list based on field enumeration, NGOs were randomly selected in each thana on the basis of a stratified sampling procedure that assured statistically useful sub-samples among NGO types: ''big'' NGOs that had over 1,000 branches across the country (BRAC and ASA), ''big'' NGOs that conducted field operations in more centralized branches (Proshika and Caritas), and other typically ''small'' NGOs.

The decision to obtain representative subsamples of the large and small NGOs was based on the hypothesis that small NGOs might exhibit different governance structures, have access to fewer resources, and engage in different activities than the large NGOs. There is obviously a continuum between large and small NGOs; the decision was made to obtain statistically representative sub-samples of the four large NGOs named above because they are generally considered to have a relatively large ''market share'' in the sector, and because the government's Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) made a similar distinction in its 2000 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES), which distinguished between the existence of those four NGOs and other NGOs.

Although the community questionnaire of the HIES also inquired about Grameen Bank in its section on NGOs, branches of Grameen Bank were not included in the present survey of NGOs because Grameen Bank is not actually incorporated as an NGO.

THE SAMPLE FRAME AND THE SAMPLE

The initial list consisted of 6,559 NGOs and NGO branches in Bangladesh. The number of NGOs in a given thana ranged from a minimum of one (in 17 thanas) to a maximum of 192 (in the thana of Mohammadpur in metropolitan Dhaka).

The mean number of NGOs per thana was 15.1, and the median was 12. Of the 6,559 NGO offices, some 1,456 consisted of BRAC branches, 1,186 were ASA branches, 125 were Proshika branches, and 98 were Caritas branches. A large percentage (79%) of the small NGOs were also organized into headquarters and branch offices. Among the small NGOs with a large number of branches were Buro (56 sites), Family Planning Services and Training (51 sites), Dhaka Ashania Mission (41 sites), and Esdo (41 sites).

On average, the number of NGOs based on the field enumeration exceeded the initial list by 21%. One question with both policy and theoretical interest is the extent to which Bangladeshi NGOs are serving the needs of the poorest or most needy in the country. One way to address the question (though it has limitations because many NGOs serve clients outside the communities in which they are located) is to examine the concentration of NGOs in the poorest or most needy areas of the country. Income data from the preliminary returns of the 2001 census permitted an analysis of NGO concentration in a given thana as a function of average household income in that thana.

NGO concentrations per capita were lowest in the poorest thanas in the sample, suggesting that NGOs are not locating in the poorest regions of the country. It is also possible, of course, NGOs were targeting not poor thanas per se but poor areas within the thanas. To analyze that possibility, we analyzed NGO concentration per capita by community wealth quintile, where community wealth was constructed using the first principal component of three community wealth measures asked of participants in the focus group discussions (percentage of households in the community with televisions, cement floors, and a resident in paid employment). The concentration of NGOs per capita was relatively high in the second lowest wealth quintile but lowest in communities in the poorest quintile.

Although the results here should be interpreted with caution because they are from a random sample of only 35 thanas, they are consistent with other findings that NGO location decisions in Bangladesh are not targeting the poorest communities.

As noted above, some of the small NGOs in the sample were themselves relatively large, and included organizations with a headquarters and branch structure. Using appropriate sample weights that adjust for the frequencies of NGOs in the sampled thanas as compared to their thana frequencies in the initial synthesized list, we were able to estimate the relative percentages of NGO types in the country. Note that even among the stratum of small NGOs, a branch-headquarters structure was far more prevalent than stand-alone organizations, and that branches of international NGOs were relatively rare in the country.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Middle East & North Africa (% of total merchandise exports) in Bangladesh was reported at 0.27684 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Merchandise exports to developing economies in Middle East & North Africa (% of total merchandise exports) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Female garment workers experience of physical, sexual, economic and severe physical and/or sexual IPV during past 12 months, n = 800.