Play store
Singapore has once again secured the high spot as the world’s most powerful passport, reinforcing its unmatched global mobility. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has made modest progress, climbing three positions to rank 97th—now sharing that spot with North Korea, according to the latest global passport index.
The ranking, released by London-based Henley & Partners, evaluates passport strength based on how many destinations holders can access without a prior visa or with visa-on-arrival privileges. This year’s index compares 199 passports across 227 destinations worldwide.
Bangladeshi passport holders currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 35 countries—slightly down from 37 last year. Despite this dip in access, the country’s overall ranking has improved, reflecting gradual progress over time.
A look at recent years shows a fluctuating but slowly improving trend:
2025: 100th
2024: 97th
2023: 101st
2022: 103rd
2021: 108th
2020: 98th
At the same time, North Korea has moved up from 99th place last year to share the 97th position—placing both countries side by side in global mobility standings.
Singapore dominates the index with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to an impressive 192 destinations.
Close behind, Japan, South Korea, and United Arab Emirates share second place, each offering access to 188 destinations.
European nations continue to perform strongly, with countries like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain dominating the upper tiers. Meanwhile, global heavyweights such as the United States rank 10th, offering access to 180 destinations.
Within South Asia, Maldives leads the region at 52nd place, with access to 93 destinations. India follows at 81st, while Sri Lanka and Bhutan occupy mid-range positions.
Bangladesh stands ahead of Nepal (98th) and Pakistan (101st), but still trails behind most of its regional peers.
At the bottom of the index sits Afghanistan, whose passport allows access to just 22 destinations—the lowest in the world. Countries like Iraq and Syria also remain near the bottom.
The latest rankings underline a stark global divide: while citizens of top-ranked nations enjoy seamless travel across most of the world, others—including Bangladesh—continue to face significant visa barriers. Still, Bangladesh’s gradual rise suggests slow but steady improvement in global mobility.
