Bangladesh's ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024 has dropped by three places. The latest report, released on Friday, shows that Bangladesh scored 19.4, placing it 84th out of 127 countries, down from 81st last year with a score of 19. This level of hunger is considered "moderate."
The decline in the ranking this year points to increased hunger, particularly among children, with many suffering from acute malnutrition,reports UNB
The GHI evaluates nations based on four key indicators: malnutrition levels, child stunting, wasting, and mortality. Lower scores indicate better performance. In Bangladesh, 11.9% of children are malnourished, and 2.9% of children die before their fifth birthday. Chronic malnutrition has resulted in 23.6% of children under five being stunted, while 11% experience wasting, where weight does not increase in proportion to height.
Among its South Asian neighbours, Bangladesh ranks higher than India (105th), Pakistan (109th), and Afghanistan (116th), while Sri Lanka (56th) and Nepal (68th) have performed better.
The report also highlights that hunger remains a critical issue globally, with six countries facing alarming levels of hunger, including Burundi, Chad, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. In 36 other countries, hunger is designated as serious, while many nations have seen a regression since 2016.
Bd-pratidin English/Afia
