Bangladesh ranks 127th in WJP Rule of Law Index

Bangladesh has ranked 127th out of 140 nations on the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2022.

According to the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022, Bangladesh has dropped two points from last year and now ranks fourth out of six countries in South Asia.

Denmark, Norway, and Finland ranked first, second, and third, respectively, while Venezuela ranked bottom on the index.

"The Index scores for these factors reflect the perspectives and experiences of more than 154,000 everyday people and 3,600 legal practitioners and other experts in 140 countries and jurisdictions," said Dr Alejandro Ponce, chief research officer of WJP.

The Index offers new data organised into eight factors that encompass the concept of the rule of law: Constraints on Government Power, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice, he said.

According to the findings of this analysis, 61% of nations' adherence to the rule of law has decreased in the last year. These losses are less widespread and severe than those experienced last year, when Covid-19 shutdowns severely disrupted court systems and limited civic freedoms.

Nonetheless, the decreases are significant and worrying, with scores for seven of the Index's eight categories declining for the second year in a row in the majority of countries, said Ponce.

On the plus side, several nations regained lost territory following recent elections and government changes, showing that authoritarian tendencies may be reversed. There is still more work to be done to improve the rule of law globally and to avoid arbitrary power exercise.

The World Justice Project, as a global leader in the rule of law movement, reaffirms its commitment to collaborate with governments, policymakers, political actors, the private sector, civil society organisations, the media, donors, and academia to generate knowledge, raise awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law globally. This version of the WJP Rule of Law Index contributes significantly to these efforts, added Ponce.

The 2022 WJP Rule of Law Index® evaluates 140 countries and jurisdictions around the world. For the fifth year in a row, the rule of law has declined in most countries.

The rule of law is internationally recognised as foundational to peace, justice, respect for human rights, effective democracy, and sustainable development. It influences every person's daily life and helps communities organize themselves collectively to address challenges and to progress.