Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 15.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Bangladesh, 1973–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Bangladesh recorded 15.4% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in 2023.
That represents a change of down 11.0% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Bangladesh peaked at 20.5% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1983.
Bangladesh ranks 10th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 14.0% | — |
| 1974 | 9.9% | -29.3% |
| 1975 | 10.7% | +7.5% |
| 1976 | 10.2% | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 7.7% | -24.1% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | -25.3% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | -16.1% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | -9.7% |
| 1981 | 5.6% | +29.2% |
| 1982 | 3.8% | -33.3% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | -14.1% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | +17.1% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | +9.4% |
| 1986 | 4.5% | +9.7% |
| 1987 | 5.3% | +16.5% |
| 1988 | 6.7% | +27.4% |
| 1989 | 5.8% | -13.7% |
| 1990 | 8.2% | +41.5% |
| 1991 | 9.5% | +15.6% |
| 1992 | 12.5% | +31.3% |
| 1993 | 14.4% | +15.0% |
| 1994 | 15.4% | +7.0% |
| 1995 | 19.6% | +27.1% |
| 1996 | 19.2% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 15.1% | -21.8% |
| 1998 | 20.5% | +36.5% |
| 1999 | 16.4% | -20.1% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | -13.7% |
| 2001 | 16.9% | +19.2% |
| 2002 | 17.5% | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 18.7% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 18.0% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 15.3% | -9.2% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | +10.1% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | -13.6% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | +11.3% |
| 2011 | 16.7% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 16.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 17.7% | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 17.0% | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 17.8% | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 14.9% | -18.2% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 18.2% | +12.7% |
| 2022 | 17.3% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 15.4% | -11.0% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 15.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 5.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 15.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 21.1%, 73% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.0% | 4.8% | 14.0% | 7 |
| 1980s | 4.7% | 3.2% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.1% | 8.2% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 14.2% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.9% | 14.9% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.8% | 15.4% | 18.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More private sector data for Bangladesh
- Merchandise trade 25.8% (2025)
- Food imports 13.0% (2018)
- Manufactures imports 67.0% (2018)
- Merchandise imports 69.37 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 3.4% (2018)
- Manufactures exports 94.5% (2018)
- Merchandise exports 48.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 274.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1056 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.95 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Bangladesh?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Bangladesh was 15.4% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 20.5% in 1998.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1983.
- How does Bangladesh rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Bangladesh ranks 10th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South Asia (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South Asia are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the South Asia region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.