January 9, 2025
DHAKA – Bangladesh has slipped three notches in the global passport ranking for 2025, now standing at 100th place, according to the latest index released by UK-based firm Henley & Partners yesterday.
With this ranking, Bangladeshis now hold the 7th weakest passport globally.
Based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and backed up by in-house research, the index ranks all 199 of the world’s most powerful passports based on how many of 227 global travel destinations they grant visa-free access to.
Bangladeshi passport holders currently have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 40 countries, down from 42 destinations in the previous year. This places Bangladesh in the same rank as Libya and the Palestinian Territories, a slight decline from last year’s 97th position when it shared the spot with North Korea.
In South Asia, the Maldives, placed at 53rd position, holds the highest ranking. It is followed by India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, placed respectively at 85th, 90th and 96th positions. Nepal and Pakistan rank just below Bangladesh at 101st and 103rd positions.
At the top of the index, Singapore ranks first, granting its passport holders visa-free access to 195 destinations. Japan follows in second place, allowing its citizens to travel visa-free to 193 countries. Last year, the top spot was jointly held by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain.
At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, ranked 106th, with its passport granting visa-free access to just 26 destinations. Just above Afghanistan are Syria (105th), Iraq (104th), and Yemen (103rd).
The Henley & Partners Passport Index provides a key measure of global mobility and reflects broader trends in international travel freedom.