Data on the situation of children in Bangladesh
UNICEF Bangladesh
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The data for some indicators presented here may vary between sources due to differences in definitions, scope and methodology. Sources used here are the ones referred to by UNICEF for its work in Bangladesh.
Population: 169.8 million*
Children (aged 0-17 years): 56.9 million (33 per cent) **
Infants (aged 0-11 months): 3.4 million**
Children under five years of age (aged 0-59 months): 16.3 million**
School-aged children (aged 6-17 years): 37.6 million**
*Source: Population and Housing Census
**Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2015, Population Projection of Bangladesh: Dynamics and Trends
Birth registration
56 per cent of children have had their birth registered. 44 per cent of children have not had their birth registered (children under five years of age).
Source: UNICEF and BBS, 2019, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019
Children in street situations
While there is no reliable recent data, the number of children in street situations (living on the street or spending the majority of their time working on the street) is alarmingly high.
Sleeping on the street: 30.1 per cent children live and sleep in public or open spaces (streets, stations, terminals, fields and parks) without the most basic amenities.*
Literacy: 71.8 per cent children can neither read nor write.*
Violence against children in street situations: 82.9 per cent children face abuse or harassment by pedestrians. 49.8 per cent were subjected to violence at the place of work.*
*Source: UNICEF and BBS, Survey on street children 2022
Child labour
11.3 per cent of children are engaged in child labour, hazardous work, or both (ages 5-17).
6.8 per cent of children are engaged in child labour as per the definition in the Sustainable Development Goals (8.7.1). This definition focuses on children who are engaged in economic activities or in households chores above a certain number of hours/week according to thresholds that differ depending on the child’s age. This definition does not include children in hazardous work if the hours/week worked are under the age-specific threshold (ages 5-17).
8 per cent of children are engaged in hazardous work. This refers to children engaged in hazardous work regardless of how many hours/week the child performs hazardous work (ages 5-17).
Source: MICS 2019
Child marriage
Girls married before the age of 18: 51.4 per cent (of women aged 20-24)*
38 million women and girls were married before the age of 18.**
Girls married before the age of 15: 15.5 per cent (of women aged 20-24)*
Girls giving birth before the age of 18: 24 per cent (of women aged 20-24)*
Bangladesh has the 8th highest prevalence of child marriage in the world, and the highest prevalence in Asia. **
*Source: MICS 2019; UNICEF, 2023, Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach?: Latest trends and future prospects
**Source: UNICEF, 2020, Ending Child Marriage: A profile of progress in Bangladesh
Climate change
Children seriously exposed to climate hazards: 20 million*
Bangladesh ranks 7 among countries most affected by extreme weather events**
Bangladesh ranks 15 of 163 countries where children at most risk of climate change. ***
Children’s well-being is at risk due to exposure to climate-related and environmental shocks and hazards such as coastal flooding, riverine flooding, air pollution, soil and water pollution, vector-borne diseases, and heatwaves, and underlying vulnerabilities in areas such as health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, poverty and social protection, and education. ****
* Source: UNICEF, 2019, A gathering storm: Climate change clouds the future of children in Bangladesh
** Source: German Watch, 2021, Global Climate Risk Index 2021
*** Source: UNICEF, 2021, The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index
****Source: UNICEF, 2023, Analysis of the CCRI for Least Developed Countries
Disability
Children living with disability enrolled in formal education: 40.41 per cent (aged 5-17 years). Primary school: 65.25 per cent. Secondary school: 34.75 per cent.
Source: BBS, 2022, Report on National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (NSPD) 2021
Education
Primary school net enrolment rate: 97.42 per cent*
Primary school completion rate: 85.85 percent*
Primary school drop-out rate: 14.15 per cent*
Secondary net enrolment rate: 70.25 per cent**
Secondary school completion rate: 64.24 per cent**
Secondary drop-out rate: 35.66 per cent**
* Source: Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), 2022, Annual Primary School Census (APSC) 2021
** Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS), Education Statistics 2022
Hygiene
Access to basic hand hygiene facilities in households: 58 per cent: Schools: 51 per cent; Health care facilities: 38 per cent*
Access to appropriate menstrual hygiene materials and place to wash: 94 per cent (women aged 15-49)**
Missed participation in social activities/school/work due to menstruation: 10 per cent (girls aged 15-19)**
* Source: WHO, UNICEF, Joint Program Monitoring (JMP)
**Source: MICS 2019
Immunization
Full valid coverage: 83.9 per cent (by 12 months of age)
Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT3): 93.3 per cent (by 12 months of age)
Measles and rubella (MR1): 88.6 per cent (by 12 months of age)
Haemophilus influenzae type b (HiB1): 99.7 per cent (by 12 months of age)
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV1): 99.7 per cent (by 12 months of age)
Source: Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 2021, Bangladesh EPI Coverage Evaluation Survey 2019
Mortality
Neonatal mortality rate: 20 per 1,000 live births (0-28 days of age)
Infant mortality rate: 25 per 1,000 live births (0-11 months)
Under-five mortality rate: 31 per 1,000 live births (0-59 months)
Source: USAID and NIPORT, 2023, Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2022: Key Indicators Report
Nutrition
Stunting: 23.6 per cent (0-59 months, low height for age)*
Wasting: 11 per cent (0-59 months, low weight for height)*
Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM): 7.5 per cent (0-59 months)**
Severe acute malnutrition (SAM): 2.3 per cent (0-59 months) **
Malnutrition (SAM + MAM): 9.8 per cent (0-59 months) **
Exclusively breastfed: 54.8 per cent (0-5 months)*
Minimum acceptable diet: 28.7 per cent (6-23 months)*
*Source: USAID and NIPORT, 2023, Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2022: Key Indicators Report
**Source: MICS 2019
Sanitation
People using safely managed sanitation services: 39 per cent;
Improved sanitation: 78 per cent (of households)
Open defecation: 0 per cent (almost zero per cent of households)
Source: WHO, UNICEF, Joint Program Monitoring (JMP)
Violence against children
Children subject to violent disciplining: 89 per cent (age 1-14, physical and psychological, within the last month)*
Source: MICS 2019
Violence against women
Intimate partner violence: 73 per cent (ever-married women in their lifetime); 55 per cent (ever-married women in the last 12 months) (physical and sexual violence, and controlling behaviour)
Intimate partner physical violence: 50 per cent (ever-married women in their lifetime); 21 per cent (ever-married women in past 12 months)
Source: BBS and UNFPA, 2016, Report on Violence Against Women (VAW) Survey 2015
Water
People using an improved drinking water source: 98.5 per cent
People using safely managed water services: 59 per cent
Source: WHO, UNICEF, Joint Program Monitoring (JMP)
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