Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 61.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh is 61.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh peaked at 64.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 57.5%, in 1990.
That places Bangladesh 136th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57.5% | — |
| 1991 | 57.6% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 57.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 58.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 58.2% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 58.4% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 58.6% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 58.8% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 59.1% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 59.2% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 59.3% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 59.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 59.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 59.3% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 59.2% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 59.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 59.7% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 60.0% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 60.2% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 59.8% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 59.3% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 58.9% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 58.5% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 58.2% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 57.8% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 61.2% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 61.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 62.1% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 63.6% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 64.6% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 61.3% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 61.3% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.3% | 57.5% | 59.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.4% | 59.2% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.6% | 57.8% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.7% | 61.3% | 64.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
- 133 Cape Verde 62.2% compare
- 134 Belize 62.2% compare
- 135 Guatemala 61.8% compare
- 137 Kyrgyzstan 61.1% compare
- 138 Türkiye 60.8% compare
- 139 South Africa 60.6% compare
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, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Bangladesh was 61.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.5% in 1990.
- How does Bangladesh rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Bangladesh ranks 136th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (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 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.