Bangladesh's average life expectancy reached 72.7 years in 2023, outpacing its neighbors, though health experts emphasize the growing challenge of ensuring healthy longevity.
Bangladesh Surpasses India and Pakistan in Life Expectancy: WHO
Bangladesh has surpassed both India and Pakistan in average life expectancy, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest figures. In 2023, the average life expectancy in Bangladesh stood at 72.7 years, compared to 71 years in India and 68.2 years in Pakistan.
Released on October 2, the WHO’s latest “Global Health Estimates” report details life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, causes of mortality, and disease burden across nations from 2000 to 2023. By comparison, the WHO estimates life expectancy at 78.5 years in the United States and 81.4 years in Canada.
However, health officials note that increased longevity does not automatically equate to more healthy years. In 2023, the global average healthy life expectancy was 62.8 years, meaning individuals spend a notable portion of their extended lifespans managing illnesses and physical limitations. The recovery of healthy life expectancy has also lagged behind overall gains in life expectancy.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant global setback: worldwide life expectancy fell from 73.4 years in 2019 to 71.5 years in 2021, before rebounding to 73.3 years in 2023; nearly returning to pre-pandemic levels.
While the WHO regards increased longevity as a major public health milestone, it highlights that the primary challenge is now ensuring healthy living alongside longer lifespans. In 2023, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, strokes, chronic respiratory conditions, diabetes, and dementia—accounted for 74% of all deaths globally.
Alain Labrique, Director of the WHO’s Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact department, noted that while increased longevity is a public health success, policies must ensure people remain healthy as they live longer.
Experts point out that national life expectancy is shaped by healthcare quality, nutrition, infant mortality rates, disease prevalence, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors. Consequently, alongside overall life expectancy, the number of healthy and productive years an individual enjoys remains a vital indicator for assessing a nation’s overall health standard.
