Female share of the labor force in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Female share of the labor force was 34.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in Bangladesh, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female share of the labor force in Bangladesh is 34.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Bangladesh peaked at 36.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.7%, in 1990.
Bangladesh ranks 157th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.7% | — |
| 1991 | 21.0% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 21.3% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 21.7% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 22.0% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 22.5% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 22.9% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 23.3% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 23.6% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 23.9% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 24.2% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 24.4% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 24.6% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 24.7% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 24.9% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 25.0% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 25.2% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 28.0% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 31.0% | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 30.4% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 30.1% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 30.3% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 30.6% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 30.8% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 32.4% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 33.3% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 34.9% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 35.7% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 35.6% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 34.0% | -4.5% |
| 2025 | 34.0% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.3% | 20.7% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.7% | 24.2% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.4% | 30.1% | 34.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.1% | 34.0% | 36.5% | 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 female share of the labor force in Bangladesh?
- Female share of the labor force in Bangladesh was 34.0% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 36.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7% in 1990.
- How does Bangladesh rank for female share of the labor force?
- Bangladesh ranks 157th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.