Bangladeshis now may live less as life expectancy in the country shortens by one month to 72.3 years, as per official survey for past year, amid a rise in certain deaths.
The male life expectancy was recorded at 70.8 years while female at 73.8 years, according to the BBS survey data released Sunday.
This means babies born in 2023 can expect to live 72.3 years on average in a decrease by four weeks compared to the same measure a year before.
The Office for National Statistics of Bangladesh - Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS)-has stated this in its key publication styled Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023.
The annual population-growth rate also declined to 0.69 or down by 0.29 percentage point from that a year back in 2022, the BBS data showed.
The survey identified top ten causes of deaths, the first being heart attack that accounts for 1.02 per cent. The second cause of death is brain stroke followed by respiratory diseases.
The mean age of population is 29.26 or up by 0.29 percentage point from a year earlier.
The total fertility rate was recorded (per woman between 15 and 49 years) at 2.17, down by 0.03 percentage point year on year.
The mean age at first marriage for men is 24.2 while for women 18.4 years.
On the internal-migration front it found rural arrival rate at 20.4 and the urban arrival rate 43.4 per-thousand population.
In addition, the young population not in education, or work or training decreased to 39.88 per cent in 2023 compared to 40.67 per cent in 2022.
Mobile-phone ownership in the population aged 5 or above increased to 59.9 per cent in 2023. However, for 15-plus-year olds, the rate slightly increased to 74.2 percent compared to 73.8 percent in 2022.
The sex ratio was slightly downward in 2023, standing at 96.37 per cent, and the dependence ratio 53.73 per cent. The population density is 1,179 persons per square kilometre.
In 2023, the obesity mortality rate per 1000 population was 6.1, in a rise from 5.8 in 2022. The under-five mortality rate is 33 per 1000 and the maternal mortality ratio 136 per 100,000 live births, rising from 153 in 2022.
The number of birth-control users in 2023 decreased slightly to 62.1 per cent compared to 63.3 percent in 2022.
Household size remained unchanged in 2023 as in 2022 for 4.2 per cent.
However, the rate of female household heads increased in 2023 to 18.9 per cent year on year. It was 17.4 per cent in 2022.
Improved toilet facilities expanded to 93.63 per cent or up by 1.12 percentage points from a year in 2022.
Hand-washing facilities having both soap and water were recorded at 65.2 per cent or up by 2.0 percentage points from a year earlier.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com