BD fares well in HDI index

Bangladesh has done well in almost all the indicators of the Human Development Index (HDI) as it has improved one step ahead to 142 from 143 among 187 countries in 2014, compared to 2013.
Bangladesh has improved significantly in the Gender Inequality Index among the South Asian countries too as it has ranked at 115, 12 position ahead of India and Pakistan (both of which ranked 127), the  Human Development Report (HDR) 2014 of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), released Thursday in Dhaka said.
The report identified Bangladesh as belonging to a group of Highlighted 18 countries that saw rapid progress in human development. Other members of the Highlighted 18 include China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam.
According to the HDR 2014, Bangladesh's HDI showed a significant increase of 0.7 per cent last year, placing it in the medium human development category with the Maldives, India and Bhutan.
Among the South Asian countries, the HDI of India (135), Pakistan (146), the Maldives (103), Nepal (145), Bhutan (136) and Afghanistan (169) remain unchanged in 2014 which Bangladesh has improved one step ahead and Sri Lanka (73) two steps.
Meanwhile, Norway has secured the first place in the global HDI while Niger the last position among the 187 nations in the world.
The newly-launched HDR said: "Among the South Asian nations, Bangladesh has also demonstrated a good track record of inclusive development. After adjusting the inequality, Bangladesh is dong better compared to India, Pakistan and Nepal indicating a good pro-poor policy regime."
The report said Bangladesh has shown good performance in terms of addressing the issue of gender inequality.
On the gender inequality index in the HDR 2014, Bangladesh ranked 115, well ahead of India and Pakistan (both ranked at 127).
In the gender development index, Bangladesh is far better than India and Pakistan as the country is ranked at 107 while the rest two South Asian nations have secured 132 and 145 respectively.
In the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index, Bangladesh (0.237) is better than India (0.282) and is in the same position with Pakistan.
Speaking at the launch of the report, UNDP Acting Country Director Nick Beresford said Bangladesh's progress was all the more remarkable, given the exceptionally challenging conditions it faced.
UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh Neal Walker said: "HDR 2014 records incremental improvement that moved Bangladesh up one place in the ranking from 143 to 142 at a time when most South Asian countries' position remained unchanged."
 "From this promising vantage point, Bangladesh is well positioned to consider the ideas in the HDR in strategic planning tools such as the upcoming Seventh Five-Year Plan," he added.
Economic Relations Division secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin said Bangladesh's progress in the HDI shows that it is on the right track in reducing poverty and cutting hunger.