Bangladesh holds 100th spot in 2025 Passport Index, 7th weakest globally

Bangladesh has ranked 100th out of 106 in the global passport rankings 2025, published by the UK-based Henley & Partners yesterday.

According to this ranking, Bangladeshis now hold the 7th weakest passport globally.

Earlier rankings placed Bangladesh 100th in January 2025, 97th in 2024, and 101st in 2023.

According to the latest Henley Passport Index, a Bangladeshi passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 38 destinations, placing the country alongside North Korea in the ranking.

In South Asia, Maldives holds the highest position, ranking 56th with visa-free access to 94 destinations. It is followed by India, which ranks 85th with access to 57 countries, Bhutan at 92nd with 50 destinations, and Sri Lanka at 98th with 41. Nepal and Pakistan are placed below Bangladesh, at 101st and 103rd, with visa-free access to 36 and 31 countries respectively.

At the top of the global list, Singapore retains its lead, granting visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea with 190. At the other end, Afghanistan remains the lowest-ranked passport at 106th, with visa-free access to only 24 destinations, while Syria (105th) and Iraq (104th) sit just above it.

For the first time in the 20-year history of the Henley Passport Index, the United States has dropped out of the world's top 10 most powerful passports. Once ranked No. 1 in 2014, the US passport has now fallen to 12th place -- sharing the spot with Malaysia -- and offers visa-free access to just 180 of 227 global destinations. The United Kingdom has also seen a decline, slipping to its lowest-ever ranking. Once the world leader in 2015, the UK passport has fallen from sixth to eighth place since July.

Brazil and Argentina jointly hold the 19th spot with 169, while Israel ranks 20th with 165. Myanmar and Lebanon are placed at 96th, each offering visa-free access to 44 destinations.

The Henley Passport Index compares 199 passports across 227 travel destinations, assigning one point for each destination that can be entered without a visa, or with visa-on-arrival, a visitor's permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA). Where a visa or pre-departure government approval is required, a score of zero is assigned. A passport's total score represents the number of destinations accessible without prior visa requirements.