Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 48.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh stood at 48.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh peaked at 53.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 1990.
That places Bangladesh 163rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 27.6% | — |
| 1991 | 28.0% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 28.5% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 29.7% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 30.4% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 31.1% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 31.7% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 32.2% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 32.7% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 33.1% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 33.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 33.4% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 33.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 33.5% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 33.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 35.9% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 40.8% | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 42.7% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 41.9% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 41.0% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 41.3% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 41.5% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 41.8% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 45.1% | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 46.9% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 48.6% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 50.1% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 51.9% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 53.7% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 51.5% | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 48.0% | -6.7% |
| 2025 | 48.1% | +0.1% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 48.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 77.8%, 62% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 48.1% is below the median for South Asia, which is 50.0%, 96% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.1% | 27.6% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.9% | 33.1% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.4% | 41.0% | 48.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.5% | 48.0% | 53.7% | 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Bangladesh was 48.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 53.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 1990.
- How does Bangladesh rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Bangladesh ranks 163rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).