Bangladesh now ranks 93rd out of 99 in the most recent Henley Passport Index 2025, a four-place improvement. However, as international travel privileges have diminished, the number of visa-free locations for Bangladeshi passport holders has decreased from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year. Bangladesh’s passport is still among the poorest in the world, even if it has improved in ranking from 97th place the previous year. Pakistan and Nepal came in second and third, respectively, at 94th and 96th. With its passport holders allowed to visit 193 countries without a visa, Singapore took the top spot. A number of European countries, including Germany, France, and Spain, came in third place with 189 visa-free destinations, followed by South Korea and Japan with 190.
On the other hand, Afghanistan’s passport continues to be the least popular, allowing its holders to enter only 25 countries without a visa. The Maldives has the strongest passport among South Asian countries, ranking 52nd, and it allows entry into 93 countries without a visa. In terms of destinations, India came in at number 80 with 56, followed by Bhutan at number 83 with 51 free access destinations, Myanmar at number 88 with 45 free-visa access destinations, and Sri Lanka at number 91 with 42. Pakistan and Nepal continue to be among the lowest-ranked countries, with visa-free travel to 32 and 38 locations, respectively. Exclusive information from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is used by UK-based Henley & Partners to create the Henley Passport Index. It rates 199 passports according to how many places their holders can go to without a prior visa, which covers 227 tourist destinations across the globe.
Source: The Daily Star
