Bangladeshi passport remains 9th weakest globally

The Bangladeshi passport has again ranked the ninth weakest globally as its holder can travel to just 40 out of 227 destinations around the world without a prior visa, according to the second quarter edition of the Henley Passport Index 2022.

The index released on Tuesday by Henley and Partners placed Bangladesh at the 104th position among 112 spots. Kosovo and Libya are also holding the same position.

Bangladesh had ranked 103rd among 111 spots in the first quarter edition of the index published in January this year. 
In the fourth quarter edition of the 2021 index, Bangladesh was in the 108th position among 116 spots in the index released last October. 

According to the index, among the 40 destinations that a Bangladeshi passport holder can travel to, 15 are in Africa, 11 in the Caribbean, seven in Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), six in Asia, and one in South America.

With a Bangladeshi passport, it is not possible to visit any European country without a prior visa.

Meanwhile, the Japanese and Singaporean passport holders are allowed to go to a record 192 destinations visa-free, which is why both the passports continue to share the top position on the index.

Germany and South Korea hold the second place jointly, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 190. 

Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain share the third place, as their passport holders are able to access 189 destinations around the world without having to acquire a visa in advance.

Updated quarterly, the recent edition of the index ranked passports of 199 countries in 112 spots according to the number of destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa.

The index is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association.

The passport of the Maldives is the most powerful in South Asia (ranked 60th), enabling visa-free entry to 88 countries, followed by India (84th), Bhutan (91st), and Sri Lanka (103rd).

Bangladesh is in the fifth position in South Asia, above Nepal (106th) and Pakistan (109th).

Afghanistan is at the bottom of the ranking in South Asia and also in the world. Its people can visit only 26 destinations worldwide without acquiring a visa in advance.