Bangladesh Passport Trails Behind North Korea and Palestine!

The Bangladeshi passport has once again been ranked as the seventh weakest passport in the world. According to the latest data, holders of this passport can travel visa-free to only 37 countries worldwide.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2026 (January edition), Bangladesh ranks 95th out of 101 positions. On Tuesday (January 13), the international consultancy firm Henley & Partners released the list.

In the previous edition, Bangladesh was ranked 100th out of 106 positions. Even then, it was considered the seventh weakest passport in the world. This means that although the rank has improved slightly, there has been little real improvement in visa-free travel access.

From an international perspective, the somewhat isolated countries North Korea and war-torn Palestine jointly occupy the 94th position on the list. Their citizens can travel visa-free to 38 countries. In comparison, Bangladeshi passport holders can travel to only 37 destinations without a visa.

The index ranks a total of 101 positions based on the number of visa-free access countries. Some positions include multiple countries.

Strongest and Weakest Passports in the World

In 2026, Singapore holds the top position with the strongest passport in the world. Its citizens can travel visa-free to 192 countries.

Japan and South Korea are in second place, with visa-free access to 188 countries. In third place, five European countries—Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland—share the rank. Citizens of these countries can travel visa-free to 186 destinations.

At the bottom of the list are Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Pakistan.

South Asia Passport Rankings

Among South Asian countries, the Maldives has the strongest passport. The country is ranked 52nd, and its citizens can travel visa-free to 92 countries.

Following the Maldives are India (80th), Bhutan (85th), and Sri Lanka (93rd). Citizens of these countries can travel visa-free to 55, 50, and 39 countries, respectively.

Bangladesh ranks fifth in the region. Nepal (96th), Pakistan (98th), and Afghanistan (101st) follow. Citizens of these countries can travel visa-free to 35, 31, and 24 countries, respectively.