Bangladesh has moved three positions up in the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking according to the 2016 Human Development Report launched by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Bangladesh ranked 139 out of 188 countries in the index, while Sri Lanka is ranked top among South Asian countries securing 75th position.

According to the annual report, Bangladesh is categorised as ‘medium human development’ country with HDI value stood at 0.579 in 2015, which increased from 0.545 in 2010.

Devised and launched in 1990, HDI is a measure for assessing progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and access to decent standard living.

Maldives has secured 105th, India 131st, Bhutan 132nd, Nepal 144th and Pakistan 147th place in the HDI ranking.

The report titled ‘Human Development for everyone’, published on 21 March.

This year Bangladesh has got 0.57 HDI value to secure 139th place while Norway has topped the list with 0.94 HDI value while Central African Republic sits at the bottom with 0.35 HDI value, said the report.

HDI is measured on the basis of the data of three elements—life expectancy at birth, adult literacy rate and GDP per capita.

Bangladesh went up to the category of medium developed country from low developed country in the HDI ranking in 2003.

‘Bangladesh has shown tremendous progress in human development over the last two decades,’ said AHM Mustafa Kamal, Planning Minister and chief guest at the report launching ceremony, ‘Our social indicators shows that we are doing better in health, education, life expectancy at birth while our per capita income is increasing.’

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Shahriar Alam, said, ‘Bangladesh has become a role model among developing countries as its progress in recent  years has impressed the world. We have to continue our development march for providing benefit to the people, especially the marginalized and excluded ones.’

Principal Coordinator for SDG Affairs at Prime Minister’s Office, Abul Kalam Azad said, ‘Bangladesh has done tremendous jobs in achieving MDGs and we are taking all-out preparation to successfully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also.’

According to HDR 2016, life expectancy at birth in Bangladesh stood at 72 years, expected years of schooling at 10.2 years, mean years of schooling 5.2 years, gross national income (GNI) per capita $ 3,341.

‘The HDR gives us an insight to the development progress, but also raises two main questions - who has been left out in the development process and how and why did that happen. The data and analysis provided in the Report are an important baseline for policy making, to ensure more inclusive human development,’ said Sudipto Mukerjee, UNDP Bangladesh Country Director.