Poverty and living standards in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh: official figures
17.4% of people in Sylhet division lived below the upper poverty line in 2022, up from 16.2% in 2016; 4th lowest of Bangladesh's 8 divisions (Bangladesh: 18.7%, down from 24.3%). The rate was 18.1% in rural areas and 14.4% in towns and cities.
How many people in Sylhet division live in extreme poverty?
4.6% of people in Sylhet division were extremely poor (below the lower poverty line) in 2022, against 11.5% in 2016; 3rd lowest of Bangladesh's 8 divisions (Bangladesh: 5.6%).
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Sylhet division do not have enough food?
24.79% of people in Sylhet division faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022 (Bangladesh: 21.11%), and 2.16% severe food insecurity; the moderate-or-severe rate is the highest of Bangladesh's 8 divisions.
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow wealthy are households in Sylhet division?
28.6% of people in Sylhet division belonged to the poorest fifth of Bangladeshi households by assets in 2022 and 17.6% to the richest fifth (by definition 20% nationally), with a wealth Gini coefficient of 0.29 (Bangladesh: 0.27).
Source: National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (with ICF) · saved copyWhere do households in Sylhet division get drinking water?
88.8% of households in Sylhet division drew drinking water mainly from a tube-well in 2022 and 5.1% from a piped supply (Bangladesh: 86.5% and 11.1%); 3.81% used ponds, rivers or canals.
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo households in Sylhet division have proper toilets?
46.1% of households in Sylhet division had a flush or pour-flush toilet with safe disposal in 2022, 4th lowest of Bangladesh's 8 divisions (Bangladesh: 55.7%); 2.66% had no toilet (Bangladesh: 1.23%).
Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Sylhet Division compares with other divisions
Poverty rate (upper poverty line) (2022)
Sylhet Division ranks 5 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate (upper poverty line) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Rangpur Division | 24.8% |
| 3 | Mymensingh Division | 24.2% |
| 4 | Dhaka Division | 17.9% |
| 5 | Sylhet Division | 17.4% |
| 6 | Rajshahi Division | 16.7% |
| 7 | Chattogram Division | 15.8% |
| 8 | Khulna Division | 14.8% |
Extreme poverty rate (lower poverty line) (2022)
Sylhet Division ranks 6 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Extreme poverty rate (lower poverty line) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mymensingh Division | 10.0% |
| 3 | Rangpur Division | 10.0% |
| 4 | Rajshahi Division | 6.7% |
| 5 | Chattogram Division | 5.1% |
| 6 | Sylhet Division | 4.6% |
| 7 | Khulna Division | 2.9% |
| 8 | Dhaka Division | 2.8% |
More on Sylhet Division: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Bangladesh
Sources
- National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (with ICF): Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2022, Final Report: Tables 2.4, 3.2, 9.1, 9.7, 9.8, 11.1, 14.3 and 14.6 by division, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fcb1b5f6f950…)
- Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics: Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022, Final Report: Tables 4.5 (income and consumption), 6.4 (poverty), 7.6 (school enrolment), 13.2-13.3 (food insecurity) by division, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4df200a6bfb1…)
- Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics: Population and Housing Census 2022, National Report (Volume I), Tables 3.2.17-3.2.40 and 3.3.9-3.3.15: disability, literacy, students, NEET, phones, internet, accounts, migration, water, toilets, electricity, cooking fuel, remittances, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1c315d497629…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.