Page updated on 14/09/2009

Bangladesh is one of the poories countries in the world; during the last 30 years its GDP per capita income barely increased from US$203 in 1975 to US$348 per capita in 1998. The World Banks World Development Indicators puts Bangladesh in 170th place (out of 207 countries).

Despite considerable international assistance, Bangladesh has been unable to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger. There is a huge difference between standards of living in urban and rural areas of the country. The urban areas, especially the capital Dhaka, and major industrial cities such as Chittagong, Khulna, and Rajshahi, enjoy a better quality of living, with electricity, gas and clean water supplies.

Education is another problem, as the adult literacy rate reached just 60 percent in 2000, despite the fact that primary education is universal, compulsory and free.

The wealthiest 20 percent of Bangladeshis control 42.8 percent of the wealth. The poorest 20 percent of the population control only 3.9 percent of the wealth.

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