Bangladeshi passport remains 7th weakest globally

The Bangladeshi passport has once again been ranked seventh weakest in the world. The January 2026 edition of the ‘Henley Passport Index’ shows that holders of this passport can travel to only 37 countries without a visa.

Henley & Partners released its latest list on Tuesday (January 13). Out of 101 positions, Bangladesh’s passport is ranked 95th. Bangladesh is behind only the passports of war-torn Palestine and internationally isolated North Korea in the list. In the previous edition, Bangladesh was ranked 100th out of 106 positions, but it was still the seventh weakest passport in the world.

While Palestinian and North Korean citizens can travel to 38 countries without a visa, it is possible to do so only in 37 countries with a Bangladeshi passport. The Henley Passport Index has determined 101 positions based on this index.

Singapore tops the list of the world's most powerful passports in 2026 (with visa-free access to 192 countries). Japan and South Korea are in second place (with visa-free access to 188 countries). Five European countries—Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland—are in third place (with visa-free access to 186 countries).

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

The most powerful passport in South Asia is that of the Maldives (52nd), where citizens can travel to 92 countries without a visa. India is ranked 80th (55 countries), Bhutan 85th (50 countries), and Sri Lanka 93rd (39 countries). Bangladesh's passport is fifth in the region, where citizens can travel to 37 countries without a visa. Bangladesh is followed by Nepal (96th, 35 countries), Pakistan (98th, 31 countries), and Afghanistan (101st, 24 countries).