Academic Freedom Index in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Academic Freedom Index was 0.519 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.519
Change on year
up 81.5%
World rank
103rd
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.752
in 1973
All-time low
0.131
in 2023
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Bangladesh, 1900–2025

0.20.40.60.8190019622025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, academic freedom index in Bangladesh stood at 0.519.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 81.5% on the previous year and up 120.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Bangladesh peaked at 0.752 in 1973 and was at its lowest, 0.131, in 2023.

Bangladesh ranks 103rd of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1910s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1920s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1930s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1940s 0.3167 0.158 0.677 10
1950s 0.6269 0.504 0.677 10
1960s 0.4878 0.475 0.499 10
1970s 0.4897 0.335 0.752 10
1980s 0.3927 0.364 0.452 10
1990s 0.5649 0.439 0.632 10
2000s 0.4715 0.423 0.519 10
2010s 0.3009 0.205 0.449 10
2020s 0.2545 0.131 0.519 6

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 100 Tunisia 0.558 compare
  2. 101 Maldives 0.555 compare
  3. 102 Guinea-Bissau 0.523 compare
  4. 104 Tanzania 0.515 compare
  5. 105 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.506 compare
  6. 106 Somalia 0.494 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Bangladesh?
Academic freedom index in Bangladesh was 0.519 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 0.752 in 1973.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 0.131 in 2023.
How does Bangladesh rank for academic freedom index?
Bangladesh ranks 103rd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 120.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Academic Freedom Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.