Dhaka, Mar 21 (V7N) – Bangladesh has slipped five places in the latest World Happiness Report, ranking 134th among 147 countries. Among South Asian nations, only Afghanistan is ranked lower than Bangladesh.

India has secured the 118th position, while Pakistan is ahead at 109th place. Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, making it the least happy country in the world.

For the ninth consecutive year, Finland has topped the list as the happiest country, followed by Denmark (2nd), Iceland (3rd), and Sweden (4th). The United States has also dropped further in the rankings, standing at 24th place, compared to 11th place in 2012. Germany (22nd) has now surpassed the US in the rankings.

Bangladesh's happiness ranking has been on a steady decline over the years:

  • 2023: Ranked 118th with 3.851 points
  • 2024: Dropped to 129th place
  • 2025: Further declined to 134th place

In contrast, Sri Lanka is ranked 133rd, while Myanmar is positioned 126th in the latest report.

The World Happiness Report assesses a country’s happiness based on various factors, including:

  • Personal life satisfaction (self-assessed)
  • Gross National Product (GNP) per capita
  • Social security and support systems
  • Freedom and civil liberties
  • Average life expectancy
  • Corruption levels

The survey is conducted by Gallup, in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN).

According to the report, Finland, which secured the top spot, scored 7.736 points out of 10. In comparison, India saw an increase in its happiness score from 4.054 in 2024 to 4.389 in 2025.

The least happy countries include Sierra Leone and Lebanon, ranking just above Afghanistan.

With Bangladesh's continued decline in the rankings, experts suggest that economic challenges, rising inflation, and governance issues may have played a role in lowering overall happiness levels in the country.

END/MSS/AJ