Bangladeshi passport ranks seventh weakest globally in 2026

Dhaka: The Bangladeshi passport has once again been ranked the seventh weakest in the world, allowing its holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to just 37 out of 227 global destinations, according to the January 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index.

Released on Monday (January 13) by Henley & Partners, the index places Bangladesh in 95th position among 101 ranks. The country trails behind Palestine and North Korea, both of which share the 94th position with access to 38 destinations.

In the previous edition of the index, Bangladesh ranked 100th out of 106 countries, retaining its position as the world’s seventh weakest passport.

Despite being largely isolated internationally, North Korea, along with war-ravaged Palestine, offers its passport holders slightly greater mobility than Bangladesh. Bangladeshi citizens currently have visa-free access to one fewer destination than nationals of those two territories.

The 2026 Henley Passport Index features 101 ranking positions, with several countries sharing the same rank based on identical levels of visa-free access. Singapore holds the world’s most powerful passport this year, with access to 192 destinations.

Japan and South Korea jointly rank second, offering access to 188 destinations, while Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland share third place with visa-free access to 186 countries.

At the bottom of the index are Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. The Henley Passport Index, which draws on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations and has tracked global mobility trends for more than two decades.

Maldives leads South Asia

Within South Asia, the Maldives holds the strongest passport, ranking 52nd globally with visa-free access to 92 destinations.

India follows at 80th place, while Bhutan and Sri Lanka rank 85th and 93rd, allowing access to 55, 50, and 39 destinations, respectively.

Bangladesh ranks fifth in the region, ahead of Nepal (96th), Pakistan (98th), and Afghanistan (101st), whose passport holders can travel visa-free to 35, 31, and 24 destinations, respectively.

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