UNICEF's country profile for Bangladesh, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Infant mortality has been falling in Bangladesh in the past decade, from 32.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013 to 24.4 in 2023. This figure helps to assess the overall healthcare system’s efficacy, because childbirth and infant care require more direct patient care than any other period of life. Similarly, measures taken to combat infant mortality often have spillover effects, improving the entire healthcare system. Population in Bangladesh Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities in the world. While the economy is growing at a fair rate, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is still low. This points to Bangladesh’s status as a developing nation. However, these indicators also suggest that the country continues to flourish. This development can benefit a significant number of people. Other development indicators As health outcomes improve, life expectancy should follow. This will lead to an upward shift in the population pyramid, which measures the age structure in a country. Such a change means that there are more workers in the medium term, increasing the country’s productivity. Productivity growth then enables more expenditure on health care, creating a virtuous cycle. For this reason, experts follow infant mortality closely.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for Bangladesh (SPDYNIMRTINBGD) from 1960 to 2023 about Bangladesh, mortality, infant, and rate.

In the early 1950s, the infant mortality rate in the area of present-day Bangladesh was estimated to be 211 deaths per thousand live births, meaning that more than two of every ten babies born in these years would not survive past their first birthday. While infant mortality would decline steadily throughout most of the late-20th century, infant mortality rates would briefly spike in the early 1970s, as a result of the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971, the famine of 1974, and the transition period into independence. However, the decline in Bangladesh's infant mortality rate would largely resume upon its pre-war trajectory from the late 1970s onwards, and continue to decline well into the 21st century. As Bangladesh continues to see improvements in access to healthcare and nutrition, it is estimated in 2020, that for every thousand children born in Bangladesh, over 97 percent will live beyond the age of one year.

Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 24.400 Ratio in 2023. This stayed constant from the previous number of 24.400 Ratio for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 90.700 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 205.700 Ratio in 1971 and a record low of 24.400 Ratio in 2023. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births 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: Social: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 28.400 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 28.500 Ratio for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 133.700 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 363.100 Ratio in 1971 and a record low of 28.400 Ratio in 2023. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births 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: Social: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, female is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn female baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to female age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. This is a sex-disaggregated indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 3.2.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

Historical dataset showing Bangladesh infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

By the early 1870s, the child mortality rate of the area of modern-day Bangladesh was estimated to be just over five hundred deaths per thousand live births, meaning that more than half of all infants born in these years would not survive past their fifth birthday. Child mortality would steadily climb towards the end of the 19th century, to a rate of almost 57 percent, as a series of famines would result in significant declines in access to nutrition and the increased displacement of the population. However, after peaking at just over 565 deaths per thousand births at the turn of the century, the British colonial administration partitioned the Bengal region (a large part of which lies in present-day India), which would begin to bring some bureaucratic stability to the region, improving healthcare and sanitation.

Child mortality would largely decline throughout the 20th century, with two temporary reversals in the late 1940s and early 1970s. The first of these can be attributed in part to disruptions in government services and mass displacement of the country’s population in the partitioning of India and Pakistan following their independence from the British Empire; during which time, present-day Bangladesh became East Pakistan. The second reversal would occur in the early 1970s, as a side effect for the Bangladesh Liberation War, the famine of 1974, and the subsequent transition to independence. Outside of these reversals, child mortality would decline significantly in the 20th century, and by the turn of the century, child mortality in Bangladesh would fall below one hundred deaths per thousand births; less than a fifth of the rate at the beginning of the century. In the past two decades, Bangladesh's child mortality has continued its decline to roughly a third of this rate, due to improvements in healthcare access and quality in the country; in 2020, it was estimated that for every thousand children born in Bangladesh, almost 97 percent will survive past the age of five years.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the Bangladesh Infant Mortality Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1960-12-31 to 2023-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

Actual value and historical data chart for Bangladesh Mortality Rate Infant Per 1 000 Live Births

Actual value and historical data chart for Bangladesh Mortality Rate Infant Male Per 1000 Live Births

BackgroundMaternal tetanus toxoid (MTT) vaccination during pregnancy remains an important factor for reducing infant mortality globally, especially in developing nations, including Bangladesh. Despite commendable progress in reducing child mortality through widespread MTT vaccination during pregnancy, the issue still exists. This analysis explores the impact of MTT vaccination on neonatal mortality in Bangladesh and identifies associated factors.MethodsThis research utilizes data from the 2019 Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). The dataset consists of 23,402 cases; among them, 587 cases resulted in infant death. The outcome variable was infant mortality, which was binary. The independent variables identified as potential contributors to the cause of death included tetanus toxoid vaccination status, mode of delivery (cesarean section or not), and mother’s education level, among others. The Poisson model was employed to analyze the data.ResultsThe analyses showed that the neonatal mortality rate was 2.51%. Notably, 45.90% of mothers received the MTT vaccination during pregnancy. Among them, 23.07% received a single dose, and 22.82% took adequate doses (receiving more than two doses) and adhered to WHO guidelines. The adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 1.36, which indicates that there was a 36% higher risk of neonatal mortality for those children whose mothers did not take TT (IRR = 1.36, p = 0.081). We also found that women from middle-class households (IRR = 1.58, 95% CI = 0.98, 2.54) and women with higher parity (IRR = 1.96, 95% CI = 0.95, 4.03) also had a higher risk of newborn fatalities. A comparable trend has been observed regarding the correlation between the number of tetanus doses administered and neonatal mortality, where it also emphasizes the importance of receiving adequate doses (a minimum of 2 doses of tetanus vaccine) to mitigate neonatal mortality (adjusted IRR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.29, 1.01) in comparison to no doses received.ConclusionAdministering a minimum of one maternal tetanus dose significantly lowers the risk of neonatal mortality. Other than Maternal Tetanus Toxoid vaccination, the analyses underscore various contributors to neonatal mortality, encompassing maternal healthcare, delivery procedures, socio-economic status, and education. Targeted interventions addressing these factors have the potential to efficiently decrease neonatal mortality rates and improve overall maternal and child health.

Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data was reported at 4.000 NA in 2100. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.100 NA for 2099. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data is updated yearly, averaging 18.550 NA from Jun 1981 (Median) to 2100, with 120 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 147.000 NA in 1981 and a record low of 4.000 NA in 2100. Bangladesh BD: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.

Child mortality rate of Bangladesh slipped by 0.33% from 30.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 to 30.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. Since the 4.47% downward trend in 2013, child mortality rate sank by 28.34% in 2023. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.

Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) in Bangladesh was reported at 22.6 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bangladesh - Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Although research on the fertility response to childhood mortality is widespread in demographic literature, very few studies focused on the two-way causal relationships between infant mortality and fertility. Understanding the nature of such relationships is important in order to design effective policies to reduce child mortality and improve family planning. In this study, we use dynamic panel data techniques to analyse the causal effects of infant mortality on birth intervals and fertility, as well as the causal effects of birth intervals on mortality in rural Bangladesh, accounting for unobserved heterogeneity and reverse causality. Simulations based upon the estimated model show whether (and to what extent) mortality and fertility can be reduced by breaking the causal links between short birth intervals and infant mortality. We find a replacement effect of infant mortality on total fertility of about 0.54 children for each infant death in the comparison area with standard health services. Eliminating the replacement effect would lengthen birth intervals and reduce the total number of births, resulting in a fall in mortality by 2.45 children per 1000 live births. These effects are much smaller in the treatment area with extensive health services and information on family planning, where infant mortality is smaller, birth intervals are longer, and total fertility is lower. In both areas, we find evidence of boy preference in family planning.

Bangladesh BD: Number of Death: Infant data was reported at 84,651.000 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 83,824.000 Person for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Number of Death: Infant data is updated yearly, averaging 342,231.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 662,181.000 Person in 1971 and a record low of 82,854.000 Person in 2020. Bangladesh BD: Number of Death: Infant 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: Social: Health Statistics. Number of infants dying before reaching one year of age.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Sum;Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Bangladesh BD: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 5.010 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.037 Ratio for 2022. Bangladesh BD: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 11.602 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 39.876 Ratio in 1971 and a record low of 5.010 Ratio in 2023. Bangladesh BD: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).;Weighted average;

In 2023, the crude birth rate in live births per 1,000 inhabitants in Bangladesh stood at 20.35. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 28.65, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

BackgroundOur study aims to obtain estimates of the size effects of temperature extremes on infant mortality in Bangladesh using monthly time series data.MethodsData on temperature, child and infant mortality were obtained for Matlab district of rural Bangladesh for January 1982 to December 2008 encompassing 49,426 infant deaths. To investigate the relationship between mortality and temperature, we adopted a regression with Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) errors model of seasonally adjusted temperature and mortality data. The relationship between monthly mean and maximum temperature on infant mortality was tested at 0 and 1 month lags respectively. Furthermore, our analysis was stratified to determine if the results differed by gender (boys versus girls) and by age (neonates (≤ 30 days) versus post neonates (>30days and