February 28, 2025
DHAKA – Bangladesh saw the sharpest decline in the 2024 Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), falling 25 spots to 100th out of 167.
The country remains a hybrid regime but now ranks closer to the lower end of the classification.
Bangladesh also recorded the largest score decline globally, falling 1.44 points on the 0-10 scale, following a “rigged election, the ousting of the prime minister, and political unrest”.
In the index released on Thursday, India ranked 41st, Bhutan 79th, Nepal 96th, Pakistan 124th, and Afghanistan 167th, the lowest in the world.
The index highlights a continued decline in global democracy, with autocracies gaining strength. “The world’s democracies are struggling,” said Joan Hoey, director of the Democracy Index.
The index assesses five key factors: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, government functioning, political participation, and political culture. Based on these, countries are classified as full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, or authoritarian regimes.
This year, Norway ranked highest (9.81), while Afghanistan was the lowest (0.25). Nine of the top ten democracies are in Europe, with New Zealand being the only exception at second place.
Among the worst performers were Pakistan, South Korea, Kuwait, Georgia, Qatar, Romania, and Guinea-Bissau.
The report states that during Bangladesh’s January 2024 general election, the then ruling party allegedly suppressed dissent, curtailed media freedoms, and manipulated results, intimidating opposition candidates.
Despite election rigging, grassroots movements — especially youth-led initiatives — emerged as forces for change, reflecting growing disillusionment with mainstream political parties.
However, the protests that ousted Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 also exposed sectarian tensions, with violent attacks on minorities in the aftermath.
According to EIU, the interim government faces pressure to hold elections but is prioritising reforms to restore democratic institutions, which could delay elections beyond 2025.