Bangladesh has ascended 11 spots to become the top-ranked least developed country in the 2024 United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI), now holding the 100th position globally among 193 countries. This marks a significant rise from its 111th rank in 2022. The improvement is highlighted in the “E-Government Survey 2024: Accelerating Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development,” released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on September 18th.
The country achieved an EGDI score of 0.6570, surpassing both the South Asian average of 0.5855 and the global average of 0.6382. This progress is largely attributed to advancements in online services and telecommunications infrastructure over the past two years. Among the least developed nations, Bangladesh leads, followed by countries like Bhutan, Rwanda, and Nepal.
In the South Asian region, while the Maldives holds the top spot with a global ranking of 94th and a score of 0.6745, Bangladesh is fourth, ahead of Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Globally, Denmark, Estonia, and Singapore lead the rankings, showcasing excellence in online services, telecommunications, and human capacity.
The EGDI, a composite index, evaluates nations based on three key metrics: the Online Services Index, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index, and the Human Capital Index. The 2024 survey emphasizes the rapid yet uneven pace of digital transformation across the world, noting significant strides in digital governance fueled by investments in robust infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies.
Despite these advances, challenges persist globally in harnessing these technologies for enhancing public services and civic engagement, which are essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Europe currently leads in e-government development, but Asia is making rapid progress, with countries like Bangladesh and India significantly improving their EGDI values, contributing to a notable decrease in the global population lagging in digital government development—from 45% in 2022 to 22.4% in 2024.