Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 80.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh is 80.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh peaked at 87.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 80.1%, in 2016.
That places Bangladesh 26th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 87.6% | — |
| 1991 | 87.6% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 87.5% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 87.4% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 87.3% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 87.2% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 87.0% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 86.9% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 86.8% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 86.7% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 86.6% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 86.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 86.7% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 86.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 86.8% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 86.9% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 86.9% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 85.8% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 84.7% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 83.4% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 82.2% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 82.1% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 82.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 81.3% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 80.7% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 81.4% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 81.1% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 81.0% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 80.6% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 81.3% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 81.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 81.3% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 80.6% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 80.4% | -0.2% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 80.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 70.3%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 80.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 74.1%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 87.2% | 86.7% | 87.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.1% | 83.4% | 86.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.4% | 80.1% | 82.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.9% | 80.4% | 81.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More work & labour data for Bangladesh
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4985 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4763 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5215 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 117,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 84,090 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 104,333 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 104,263 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 208,597 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Bangladesh was 80.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 87.6% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.1% in 2016.
- How does Bangladesh rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Bangladesh ranks 26th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.