Press Freedom Index in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Press Freedom Index was 49.71 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
49.71
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
29th
of 177 countries
All-time high
50.74
in 2019
All-time low
42.01
in 2013
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Bangladesh, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in Bangladesh stood at 49.71.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Bangladesh peaked at 50.74 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 42.01, in 2013.
That places Bangladesh 29th out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 42.01 | — |
| 2014 | 42.58 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 42.95 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 45.94 | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 48.36 | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 48.62 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 50.74 | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 49.37 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 49.71 | +0.7% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 49.71 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.21, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 49.71 is above the median for South Asia, which is 38.41, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 45.89 | 42.01 | 50.74 | 7 |
| 2020s | 49.54 | 49.37 | 49.71 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More social development data for Bangladesh
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.18 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 31,862 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 31,862 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0067 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is press freedom index in Bangladesh?
- Press freedom index in Bangladesh was 49.71 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 50.74 in 2019.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.01 in 2013.
- How does Bangladesh rank for press freedom index?
- Bangladesh ranks 29th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The index combines expert estimates with data on violence against journalists. It ranges from 0-100 (no freedom).