In the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Countries Rankings, Bangladesh ranked 71st out of 87 nations. On the surface, this may appear modest — but a closer look reveals a complex national portrait.
Bangladesh performed admirably in categories like Power (Rank #47) and Open for Business (Rank #29), suggesting a growing global footprint. These rankings indicate increasing diplomatic visibility, rising exports, and regional strategic relevance.
Yet other scores — Agility (#86), Social Purpose (#84), and Quality of Life (#64) — expose serious internal misalignments. Bangladesh is evolving, but not equitably. We are gaining presence, but not yet influence. This dichotomy reflects a country at a pivotal inflection point — with momentum on one side and systemic inertia on the other.
This whitepaper presents a comprehensive breakdown of Bangladesh’s ranking performance, translates each into strategic positioning, and offers actionable recommendations from the US Bangladesh United Initiative (UBUI).
🔎 How to Read This Table:
Each category shows Bangladesh’s global rank (out of 87 countries) based on perceptions measured in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Countries Rankings. The score reflects how Bangladesh was rated on a 100-point scale by over 17,000 global respondents across attributes like power, business climate, and quality of life.
Overall Best Countries | #71 | — |
Power | #47 | 8.0 |
Open for Business | #29 | 63.8 |
Movers | #55 | 21.8 |
Quality of Life | #64 | 10.8 |
Entrepreneurship | #66 | 4.2 |
Cultural Influence | #72 | 2.8 |
Heritage | #74 | 6.3 |
Social Purpose | #84 | 1.4 |
Agility | #86 | 1.8 |
Adventure | #86 | 4.0 |
The Best Countries Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, developed in collaboration with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and BAV Group, are among the world’s most credible barometers of national image.
In 2025, over 17,000 global participants were surveyed to evaluate 87 countries across 73 unique attributes. These attributes were grouped into 10 thematic categories — from Power and Agility to Entrepreneurship and Social Purpose — creating a composite index of how nations are perceived globally.
These perceptions are more than optics. They shape:
For a country like Bangladesh, aspiring to elevate its global standing, these scores serve as both a diagnostic and a call to action.
Each category is unpacked below using three lenses:
1. What it means (perception insight)
2. What is the strategic move (positioning summary)
3. UBUI Recommendations (actionable steps)
What it means:
Bangladesh is now on the radar of global powers due to its diplomatic visibility, demographic heft, and regional location.
Strategic Move:
Convert presence into persuasion by investing in soft power and global alliances.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Bangladesh is perceived as a cost-effective, high-potential investment destination despite weak infrastructure.
Strategic Move:
Turn perception into profit by unlocking ease-of-doing-business reforms.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Bangladesh is seen as evolving — but not yet at the pace of a transformative economy.
Strategic Move:
Accelerate reforms and showcase progress through global storytelling.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Access to healthcare, education, and livable cities remains insufficient for long-term well-being.
Strategic Move:
Center human dignity in development policy.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Young Bangladeshis want to build — but face red tape, limited capital, and a lack of mentorship.
Strategic Move:
Free the founders to shape the future.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Our creative strengths and cultural identity remain underrecognized globally.
Strategic Move:
Export our culture with intention and investment.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Bangladesh’s history — from Bengal’s ancient civilization to the Liberation War — is not visible enough in global education or tourism narratives.
Strategic Move:
Digitize, protect, and amplify national heritage.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
We are not perceived as inclusive, equitable, or socially just — a serious reputational gap.
Strategic Move:
Build national trust through transparency and inclusion.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Our institutions struggle to adapt in crisis or change — slowing down progress and innovation.
Strategic Move:
Reengineer governance for speed and responsiveness.
UBUI Recommendation:
What it means:
Bangladesh’s tourism potential remains untapped, despite its natural beauty and biodiversity.
Strategic Move:
Make tourism a core pillar of national identity and economic strategy.
UBUI Recommendation:
Bangladesh today is not invisible — but it is still misunderstood.
We are:
These are not just contradictions — they are inflection points. The next decade must be defined not by what others assume of us, but by how we choose to respond. Let us align around:
At UBUI, we believe Bangladesh is ready — ready to lead, to reform, and to inspire. But transformation does not happen by chance. It happens by design, dialogue, and determination.
Let this be our moment to rise — together 🚀🚀
Contributor: UBUI Board Members