Bangladesh passport rank improves

The Bangladeshi passport has seen a marginal improvement in rank as the year starts, moving up to the 98th position according to the Henley & Partners Passport Index. Last year, it ranked 99th. 

Henley & Partners determine the rank of a passport based on the number of destinations that can be accessed by passport holders without a prior visa, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Currently, Bangladeshi passport holders can travel to 41 destinations and enjoy visa-free access, while 185 destinations still require a visa prior to travel. 

For green passport holders, destinations that can be accessed without a prior visa include Bhutan, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Bahamas, Bolivia, Haiti, and the British Virgin Islands, among others. For many of these destinations, travelers from Bangladesh can enjoy on-arrival visa benefits, while a few destinations have removed visas entirely, such as Bhutan. Other nations like Indonesia also offer visa-free access, but come with limitations on how long visitors can stay. 

Neighbouring India's passport ranking slipped two places to 84th for 2020, with 58 destinations accessible visa-free for Indian passport holders. Out of the SAARC aligned countries, India ranks second, while the Maldives holds the top spot at 61st. Bhutan follows India with 89th and Sri Lanka with 97th, while Nepal (101st), Pakistan (104th) and Afghanistan (107th) rank below Bangladesh at the moment.