Global hunger Index 2021: Bangladesh’s score now ‘moderate’

Although Bangladesh has slipped one notch from last year’s 75th position, It has been ranked 76th in the Global Hunger Index 2021 among 116 qualifying countries, with a score of 19.1, the country is still the second best performer in South Asia next to Sri Lanka (65th).
Bangladesh is way ahead of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan as these countries are placed at 92nd, 101st and 103rd spots respectively according to the index jointly published by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organisation Welt Hunger Hilfe.
However, Nepal shares the same position with Bangladesh while other two South Asian neighbours Bhutan and Maldives are not considered in the ranking.
This year, Bangladesh’s level of hunger has dropped to “moderate” from “serious” for the first time as it achieved a Global Hunger Index (GHI) score of 19.1 points out of 100, said the report.
“Bangladesh has experienced an impressive decline in GHI scores since 2012, dropping from 28.6 points, considered serious, to 19.1 points, considered moderate…These improvements are underpinned by the government’s firm commitment, determination, and action to tackle malnutrition as part of the country’s path
toward developed-country status by 2041,” said the report.
Out of 100 points, 0 is the best score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. In practice, neither of these extremes is reached.
The GHI score is calculated on four indicators – undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, and child mortality.
Eighteen countries, including China, Brazil and Kuwait, shared the top rank with a GHI score of less than five, said the report that tracks hunger and malnutrition.
According to the index, three countries — Somalia, Yemen and Central African Republic – suffer from levels of hunger that are alarming.
Conflict, climate change, and the Covid-19 pandemic – three of the most powerful and toxic forces driving hunger – threaten to wipe out any progress that has been made against hunger in recent years, said the report.