Bangladesh — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Bangladesh, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Bangladesh was 3.78% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.54% in 2020. The lowest was 2.20% in 1991 (about 1.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.60% per year.
Bangladesh ranks 123 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 66%. The median for South Asia is 4.22%, so Bangladesh sits below it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 32% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 14%. Within South Asia it ranks 5 of 6 economies; Bhutan (3.23%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 32% in 2010. That is 14% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2008. Doubling roughly every 44 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 152nd of 187 in 1991 → 151st of 187 in 2000 → 153rd of 187 in 2010 → 112th of 187 in 2020 → 118th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 3.64% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 3.35% | -1.2 pp |
| 2022 | 4.59% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 5.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 5.54% | +1.0 pp |
| 2019 | 4.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 4.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 4.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 4.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 4.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 4.43% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 4.07% | +0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 3.74% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 3.38% | -1.6 pp |
| 2009 | 5% | +0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 4.49% | +0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 4.01% | +0.4 pp |
| 2006 | 3.59% | -0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 4.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 4.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 4.32% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 3.97% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 3.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 3.27% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 3.09% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 2.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 2.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 2.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 2.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.37% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.31% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bangladesh’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.23% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bangladesh’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +71.7% in total — about 1.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 3.78%; 2024: 3.64%; 2023: 3.35%; 2022: 4.59%; 2021: 5.46%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.