Diplomatic Correspondent — Bangladesh’s passport strength has shown a slight improvement on the global stage, climbing three places to rank 97th in the mid-year edition of the Henley Passport Index 2026.
Sharing the position jointly with North Korea, Bangladeshi passport holders can currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 35 destinations worldwide.
The London-based citizenship and residence advisory firm, Henley & Partners, released the latest rankings evaluated across 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations.
Visa-Free Access and Trend Analysis
Despite the three-notch rise in global ranking—up from 100th in the previous year—the number of visa-free destinations available to Bangladeshi citizens has slightly contracted. In 2025, Bangladeshi passport holders could travel to 37 destinations without a prior visa, compared to 35 under the current mid-2026 metrics.
Over recent years, Bangladesh’s position on the index has seen fluctuations. The country held the 97th spot in 2024, 101st in 2023, 103rd in 2022, 108th in 2021, and 98th in 2020.
Regional Standings in South Asia
In the South Asian regional context, the Maldives continues to lead with the most powerful passport, holding the 52nd spot globally with access to 93 destinations without a prior visa.
India ranks 81st with visa-free travel access to 55 destinations, followed by Bhutan (88th, 47 destinations), Myanmar (91st, 43 destinations), and Sri Lanka (94th, 39 destinations). Bangladesh sits ahead of Nepal, which holds the 98th rank with access to 34 destinations, and Pakistan, positioned near the bottom at 101st with access to 29 destinations.
Global Leaders and Bottom Ranks
Singapore retains its top spot as the world’s most powerful passport, offering its citizens seamless access to 192 destinations without a prior visa.
Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates share the second position, granting visa-free access to 188 destinations, while Sweden ranks third with access to 187 destinations.
At the bottom of the global ladder, Afghanistan remains in the lowest position (104th), offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to just 22 destinations. Syria (103rd, 25 destinations) and Iraq (102nd, 28 destinations) round out the bottom three along with Pakistan.
While Bangladesh’s upward movement in the overall ranking reflects relative shifts among global peers, the reduction in total visa-free destinations underscores the ongoing need for diplomatic efforts and bilateral mobility agreements to boost travel freedom for Bangladeshi citizens worldwide.