Bangladesh has ranked 84th among 122 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026, scoring 19.2 and remaining in the “moderate” hunger category.
The index measures hunger and undernutrition through four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and under-five mortality.
Bangladesh ranked ahead of India and Pakistan but behind Nepal. India ranked 100th with a score of 24.1, while Pakistan ranked 106th with 25.5. Both countries fell into the “serious” hunger category. Nepal ranked 72nd with a score of 14.5, placing it in the moderate category.
A lower GHI score indicates a lower level of hunger, while rankings reflect countries’ relative positions among those included in the assessment.
The index is published annually by Concern Worldwide, Welthungerhilfe and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) to track hunger and undernutrition worldwide.
The 2026 report highlights the threat to food security posed by conflict, climate shocks and economic crises.
In Bangladesh, 8.2% of the population is undernourished, while 24% of children under five suffer from stunting, or low height for their age, according to the figures provided in the report.
Child wasting, defined as low weight for height, affects 12.9% of children under five, while the under-five mortality rate is reported at 3%.
Bangladesh has made substantial progress in reducing child stunting over the past two decades. The proportion of children under five affected by stunting fell from 54.9% in 2000 to 24% in the latest assessment, a decline of 30.9 percentage points.
However, progress in reducing hunger has slowed. Bangladesh’s GHI score improved from 20 in 2018 to 19.2 in 2026, a reduction of about 4%. The country remains in the moderate hunger category.
Under the GHI classification, scores below 10 indicate low hunger, scores from 10 to 19.9 indicate moderate hunger, scores from 20 to 34.9 indicate serious hunger, scores from 35 to 49.9 indicate alarming hunger, and scores of 50 or above indicate extremely alarming hunger.