Districts and upazilas.

Mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.316 ranks the district 4th poorest of all 64, far below the national average and reflecting deep deprivation across its char and coastal communities.

Among the poorest districts nationally, with a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.244 ranking 6th-poorest of 64, driven by remoteness, weak connectivity, and an economy tied to climate-exposed fishing and farming.

Deep, persistent poverty: Bhola has a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.211, ranking 9th-poorest of 64 districts. Island geography, weak land connectivity, and a thin formal economy keep household wealth among the lowest nationally.

Below-average household wealth, with a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.105 ranking 24th-poorest of 64 districts, reflecting a narrow agrarian and riverine-trade economy.

A low-lying tidal-river district with high annual rainfall (2,057 mm) prone to monsoon flooding, tidal surge along the Sugandha, and waterlogging of its dense network of canals and orchards.

Heavy annual rainfall of 2142 mm combined with 389.4 km2 of permanent surface water across the tidal estuary leaves the district highly exposed to monsoon flooding, tidal surge and waterlogging.

Deepest material poverty of any district in the country: a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.437, ranking 1st of 64 (1 = poorest), reflecting thin cash incomes, low asset ownership and weak connectivity across scattered hill settlements.

The most intense deforestation of any of the assigned hill districts: 121,436.7 hectares of tree-cover loss over 2001-2023 from jhum expansion, plantation conversion and timber extraction, with 420.0 km2 of tree cover remaining in 2021.

Third-poorest district in Bangladesh with a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.354 (rank 3 of 64), driven by low-productivity jhum and valley farming, weak connectivity and limited non-farm employment.

As an open Meghna-estuary coast with about 114.3 km2 of permanent surface water and only roughly 3.6 km2 of mangrove recorded in 2000, Noakhali is highly exposed to cyclone storm surge and tidal flooding with little natural buffer.

Severe nitrogen-dioxide pollution: recent tropospheric NO2 of 50.0 umol/m2 ranks 11th-highest of 64 districts, reflecting heavy road traffic, brick kilns and gas-based industry on the corridor.

Chattogram lost about 22,295 ha of tree cover between 2001 and 2023, by far the largest forest loss among these districts, driven by hill-cutting, settlement expansion, and conversion across its hill terrain.

Tropospheric NO2 reaches 57.0 umol/m2, the 8th-highest of 64 districts, reflecting heavy Dhaka-Chattogram highway traffic, brick kilns, and EPZ-area industry; aerosol optical depth is 0.485 (52nd of 64).

Among the most deprived districts nationally, ranking 48th of 64 on mean Relative Wealth Index with one of the lowest mean RWI values recorded (0.013).

Extremely high rainfall on an exposed Bay of Bengal coastline (annual precipitation ~3,553 mm, among the wettest districts in the country) compounds cyclone, storm-surge, and flash-flood risk for low-lying coastal and refugee-camp populations.

Dominant river and floodplain hydrology, with about 236 km2 of permanent surface water at the Padma-Meghna confluence, exposing the district to chronic riverbank erosion and seasonal flooding.

The strongest near-surface warming among the assigned districts (air warming of about 0.79 C), combined with high annual rainfall (~2,851 mm) on terrain that funnels hill runoff toward the coast.

Kishoreganj receives the highest annual rainfall in this cluster at 2306 mm, feeding the haor basin where early flash floods routinely threaten the single boro rice harvest before it can be cut.

Below-average relative wealth, ranking 39th of 64 districts (1 = poorest) on mean Relative Wealth Index.

Padma and Gorai river-bank erosion and monsoon flooding regularly consume farmland, homesteads, and the Daulatdia ferry-ghat approaches; annual rainfall averages about 1,739 mm concentrated in the monsoon.

Mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.007 places Faridpur 42nd of 64 districts, the poorest of the four assigned, well below capital-region neighbors.

Extensive permanent surface water (121.5 km2) from the Padma drives among the most aggressive bank erosion and channel migration in the country.

Forest loss of 4171.3 ha over 2001-2023 is by far the highest of the four districts, concentrated in the Madhupur sal-forest tract, even as 305.6 km2 of tree cover remained in 2021.

Low relative wealth, ranking 52nd of 64 districts (1 = poorest) on mean Relative Wealth Index.

Persistent low relative wealth, with the district sitting among the poorer half of the country (national rank 55 of 64 on mean Relative Wealth Index, where 1 = poorest).

Narsingdi has the 5th-highest tropospheric NO2 of 64 districts at 77.3 umol/m2, reflecting its concentration of dyeing, weaving and textile-processing units.

Sitting at the Padma-Meghna-Dhaleshwari confluence with 70.9 km2 of permanent water, Munshiganj faces severe seasonal flooding and chronic riverbank erosion that consume farmland and homesteads.

Tropospheric NO2 reaches 131.4 umol/m2, the 2nd-highest of 64 districts, the highest of the four assigned, driven by dense garment factories, industry, and the Dhaka-Tangail corridor traffic.

Narayanganj carries the highest tropospheric NO2 burden of any district, at 177.4 umol/m2, ranking 1st of 64, driven by dense knit-dyeing factories, brick kilns and traffic feeding Dhaka.

Tropospheric NO2 reaches 126.9 umol/m2, the 3rd-highest of 64 districts, driven by traffic, brick kilns, and industry concentrated in the capital region.

Mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.155 makes Magura the 17th-poorest of 64 districts, one of the weakest rural economies in southwest Bangladesh.

Mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.101 leaves Jhenaidah the 25th-poorest of 64 districts, a structurally below-average rural economy with thin off-farm employment.

Satkhira ranks 27th of 64 districts on mean Relative Wealth Index (1=poorest), the poorest in this group, reflecting deep coastal deprivation worsened by salinity and repeated disasters.

Despite a 154% rise in nighttime lights and 186% built-up growth since 2000, the district remains below the national wealth average, with a mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.072 (ranked 30th poorest of 64), signalling growth concentrated in the town rather than broad rural income gains.

Aerosol optical depth of 0.736 is the 4th-worst of 64 districts, and tropospheric NO2 of 41.2 umol/m2 ranks 17th of 64, reflecting heavy transboundary haze and local kiln and biomass emissions on the western border.

Aerosol optical depth of 0.73 ranks Chuadanga 7th-worst of 64 districts, the heaviest particulate haze in this border belt, while NO2 of 38.9 umol/m2 ranks 25th nationally.

The district recorded 114.0 ha of tree-cover loss from 2001 to 2023, eroding a mangrove belt that was 1545.2 km2 in 2000, the natural storm buffer for the coast.

Khulna held about 1,430.9 sq km of mangrove in 2000 (the Sundarbans front) and lost 105.6 ha of tree cover over 2001-2023, signalling pressure on the coastal forest buffer.

Built-up surface has expanded sharply, reaching 59.2 sq km recently after roughly 125% growth since 2000, converting peri-urban farmland and straining drainage and services around Jessore town and along the Benapole corridor.

Kushtia carries some of the worst air in the country, with recent AOD of 0.711 ranking 13th-worst of 64 districts and NO2 of 39.9 umol/m2 ranking 22nd, driven by brick kilns, tobacco curing and dry-season dust.

Deep household poverty (mean Relative Wealth Index -0.18), the poorest in this cluster and ranking 13th-poorest of 64 districts

Forest loss of 2802 ha over 2001-2023, by far the highest in this cluster and concentrated in the Garo Hills forest belt

Low household wealth (mean Relative Wealth Index -0.095), ranking 26th-poorest of 64 districts

Below-average household wealth (mean Relative Wealth Index -0.077), ranking 29th-poorest of 64 districts despite divisional-capital status

Mean Relative Wealth Index of -0.182 ranks Naogaon 12th-poorest of 64 districts, among the lowest in the country.

Tropospheric NO2 reaches 56.0 umol/m2, the highest in the cluster and 9th-highest of 64 districts, while aerosol optical depth of 0.719 ranks 11th-worst nationally.

The poorest district in this set by a wide margin (RWI -0.124, 20th poorest of 64).

Nightlights grew just 72 percent, ranking 49th of 64 districts in growth pace, the slowest in the cluster and a clear sign of economic stagnation.

Built-up surface has grown 40% since 2000, the fastest rate in this set, to 53.5 km2, driven by the Ishwardi/Rooppur industrial belt.

The fastest built-up expansion in this set, up 39% since 2000 to 95.7 km2, the largest built-up footprint of the four districts.

Severe particulate aerosol loading, with aerosol optical depth among the worst in the country (9th of 64) alongside elevated tropospheric NO2 (13th of 64).

High annual rainfall of 1723 mm combined with a large permanent surface-water footprint of 130.2 km2 along the Jamuna leaves the district exposed to recurrent monsoon flooding and bank erosion.

Among the very poorest districts: mean Relative Wealth Index is -0.27, national rank 5 of 64 (1 is poorest).

Among the nation's poorest districts: mean Relative Wealth Index is -0.238, national rank 7 of 64 (1 is poorest).

The poorest of these four districts and among the poorest nationally, ranking 8th of 64 by mean Relative Wealth Index.

Economic activity is nearly stagnant: nightlights grew only 38% and the district ranks 63rd of 64 in nightlights growth, the slowest among these four and near the bottom nationally.

Among the poorest districts nationally: mean Relative Wealth Index ranks it 15th of 64, with deprivation concentrated on its many river chars.

Persistent rural poverty: mean Relative Wealth Index is negative (-0.148), placing Rangpur among the poorer half of districts (national rank 18 of 64, where 1 is poorest).

Persistent deep poverty: the district sits in the poorest fifth of Bangladesh by mean Relative Wealth Index (rank 19 of 64), reflecting the concentrated deprivation of its char and floodplain populations.

Economic activity is nearly stagnant: nighttime-lights growth of just 57 percent ranks 61 of 64 nationally, among the slowest in the country.

Sunamganj has a mean Relative Wealth Index of about -0.206, ranking 10th-poorest of 64 districts, the poorest of the four Sylhet-division districts and a clear pocket of deep rural deprivation.

Habiganj has a mean Relative Wealth Index of about -0.201, ranking 11th-poorest of 64 districts, marking persistent deprivation across its haor and tea-estate populations.

Forest loss of about 6,366 ha over 2001-2023 is the highest of the four districts, eating into the Lawachara-area mixed evergreen and hill forests, even though district NDVI (recent about 0.584, the highest of the four) reflects dense tea and plantation cover.

Extreme rainfall (about 4,171 mm annually, among the highest in Bangladesh) combined with rapid hill runoff from Meghalaya drives recurrent flash floods that submerge the haor lowlands and the city alike, as in the catastrophic 2022 monsoon.