Bangladesh's ranking has declined once again, standing at 129 out of 143 countries surveyed in the latest World Happiness Report for 2024.
For the seventh consecutive year, Finland has clinched the title of the world's happiest country, while Afghanistan finds itself at the bottom of the list which was released on Wednesday under the auspices of the United Nations.
Bangladesh's descent to 129th follows its 118th rank in 2023 and a significantly higher position at 94th in 2022.
Coinciding with the International Day of Happiness on 20 March, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, the World Happiness Report 2024 has been unveiled, highlighting global trends in happiness and well-being.
As expected, Nordic countries dominate the top positions, with Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden securing second, third, and fourth places respectively. Israel claims the fifth spot. The Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia round out the top ten.
In comparison, neighboring countries of Bangladesh include Nepal (93rd), Pakistan (108th), Myanmar (118th), India (126th), and Sri Lanka (128th), while Afghanistan occupies the last position.
The absence of the United States and Germany from the top 20 happiest countries marks a significant shift, with both nations landing at 23rd and 24th places respectively. Conversely, Costa Rica (12th) and Kuwait (13th) have entered the elite list.
The ranking methodology evaluates countries on a scale from 0 to 10, taking into account citizens' subjective happiness assessments, along with economic and social indicators such as personal well-being, personal freedom, generosity, GDP, and corruption levels.
This year's report also underscores a disparity in happiness between younger and older demographics across most regions, with increasing inequality noted in all regions except Europe.
Jennifer De Paola, a happiness researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland, attributes Finland's high happiness levels to factors such as close proximity to nature, a healthy work-life balance, and a societal emphasis on holistic well-being rather than purely economic success.
