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Cover of the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026 report developed by Yale and Columbia universities
Bangladesh has been ranked near the very bottom of the global environmental protection rankings, placing 175th out of 177 nations assessed in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026.
The biennial index, prepared by researchers at Yale University and Columbia University with support from the McCall MacBain Foundation and published via the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) framework, measures the efficacy of state policies and sustainability initiatives.
Bangladesh scored an overall 23.46 out of 100, indicating that the nation has failed to achieve even a quarter (25 percent) of the foundational standards required for environmental protection and ecological resilience.
The EPI evaluation framework is structured around three core policy objectives: environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and climate change mitigation. These overarching domains encompass 47 performance indicators, assessing critical benchmarks such as ambient air quality, potable water access, sanitation infrastructure, solid waste management, biodiversity and habitat conservation, aquatic ecosystems, and greenhouse gas reduction pathways.
Within South Asia, Bangladesh ranks as the second-worst performer among eight nations, outperforming only neighboring India (176th, score 22.46). Bhutan emerged as the regional leader, securing 52nd place globally with a score of 47.74, followed by Sri Lanka (94th), Nepal (128th), Afghanistan (135th), Pakistan (157th), and Maldives (171st).
Globally, the top tiers were dominated by European nations, with Estonia leading the world in 1st place (score 74.79), followed by Luxembourg (2nd) and the United Kingdom (3rd). Conversely, the five lowest-ranked countries worldwide are Laos (177th), India (176th), Bangladesh (175th), Mali (174th), and Vietnam (173rd). Among major global carbon emitters, the United States ranked 27th (score 58.54), while China stood at 129th (score 33.88).
Highlighting systemic planning deficits, Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of environmental rights body 'Dharitri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA)' and former General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), stated,"This global assessment accurately mirrors Bangladesh's severe reality, where air, water, and soil suffer from critical pollution, and not a single river remains unpolluted after decades of unplanned, unstudied industrial expansion. Despite repeated state commitments, there is an absence of integrated, science-backed long-term environmental planning. Piecemeal measures—such as excavating encroached canals without prior eviction—merely turn them into fragmented ponds. Policymakers must discard the misconception that environmental conservation contradicts industrial growth, enforcing strict legal compliance and scientific conservation frameworks to reverse this alarming standing."
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/bangladesh/1f1a4948-c501-6690-95df-a519b9bc0f25