The national literacy rate in Bangladesh has remained stagnant at 77.9% over the past three consecutive years.
According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the literacy rate has increased by a mere 2.3% over a five-year span, leaving 21.9% of the population—approximately 40 million people—illiterate and unable to read or write.
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh, alongside nations worldwide, is observing International Literacy Day today (Tuesday) through various programs.
The UNESCO theme for this year's observance is "Literacy for people, planet and prosperity." On this occasion, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have issued separate messages.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has organized various events, including a discussion meeting hosted by the Bureau of Non-Formal Education in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Speaking at a press conference at the ministry on Monday, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj noted that while the literacy rate among the population aged seven and above stands at 77.9%, a large segment remains excluded from the fundamental right to education and essential skills. The government aims to elevate the literacy rate to between 86% and 90% by 2031.
BBS data shows the literacy rate held steady at 77.9% across 2023, 2024, and 2025, up from 75.6% in 2021 and 76.8% in 2022.
Observers point out that consistent year-round literacy initiatives are rarely visible, with activities largely concentrated around calendar events through rallies, discussions, and publication supplements. While these foster awareness, there is a notable shortage of long-term, effective execution to eradicate illiteracy.
Field-level operations under the Bureau of Non-Formal Education have reportedly stalled due to an insufficiency of active projects.
Between September 2023 and June 2025, only a single pilot project for out-of-school children was initiated, covering just 6,805 individuals, followed by a special pre-vocational program from September 2025 to February 2026 for 4,198 participants.
Consequently, a large portion of the bureau's staff remains functionally inactive.
Observing the day since 1967 globally and 1972 in Bangladesh, the country's constitution pledges universal, free, and compulsory education alongside the elimination of illiteracy under Article 17.
Brac University Professor Emeritus Manzur Ahmed told Jugantor that the primary barrier to improving literacy is the lack of continuous, structured programs targeting out-of-school populations.
He emphasized that poverty, dropout rates, early marriage, child labor, and a lack of policy prioritization must be addressed through adequate funding and practical tracking rather than isolated commemorative events.
Dr. Faruque Ahmad, Director of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, stated that efforts are underway to turn illiterate populations into skilled human resources through functional literacy and vocational training, though engaging older demographics remains challenging.
Major Plans to Boost Literacy and Skills
To expand non-formal education and equip out-of-school youth with vocational skills, the government has chalked out several expansion plans:
Alternative Learning Opportunity (ALO): Designed to provide basic education up to the fifth grade for 19,200 out-of-school children aged 10 to 14 across 64 selected upazilas, alongside livelihood skills training for 19,200 youths aged 15 to 24.
SKILLFO Expansion: Extending the "Skill Focused Literacy for Out of School Adolescent" program to 16 additional districts to train 100,000 adolescents over three years, with a second phase targeting 4,000 more teens across 50 districts in the current fiscal year.
ALFA Enhancement Program: Piloting the "Adult Literacy and Functional Ability Enhancement Program" in 40 upazilas across 40 districts to provide practical literacy to 35,000 men and women, with a subsequent roadmap to scale the initiative to 4.5 million illiterate adults aged 25 to 45.
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