What makes a passport strong, and where does Bangladesh stand?

In a world more interconnected than ever, the strength of a passport plays a crucial role in mobility. But what exactly makes a passport strong?

At the core of a passport's strength is the number of countries its holder can visit without a visa. The higher this number, the more powerful the passport. For example, Singapore secured the top spot, with its passport holders able to travel visa-free to 193 destinations, passports from countries like Japan, and South Korea allow visa free travel to 190 destinations. This freedom is a result of strong diplomatic ties and agreements between these countries and the rest of the world.

Nationals of countries with strong economies, stable governments, and social systems are seen as less likely to pose a risk to other countries—whether overstaying visas or immigrating illegally. As a result, these countries get more visa waivers for their citizens, making travel easier and more accessible, according to Henley & Partners, a UK-based firm noted for their passport index, which recently ranked Bangladesh at 93 out of 99.

However, it's not just about visa-free access. Some countries offer other benefits to their citizens through visa-on-arrival (VOA) or electronic travel authorisation (ETA) arrangements. While these may require a bit more paperwork than a visa-free entry, they are still far easier and quicker to obtain than traditional visas, making them important in determining a passport's strength.

So, what does this all mean for Bangladesh? And how did we advance four spots although the list of visa-free countries shrank by four?

The Henley Passport Index 2025, ranks passports of 199 countries based on the number of visa-free destinations.

With its visa-free destinations dropping from 42 to 39, Bangladesh was ranked 93 this year. Although this was a deterioration of the passport's strength, Bangladesh's rank improved by four places from 97th to 93rd jointly with Palestine and Libya.

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Bangladesh moves up 4 notches to 93rd in global passport ranking

This is most likely owing to the fact that more than one country can hold the same position just like Bangladesh is jointly 93rd with two other countries. At the top of the list, two countries—Japan and South Korea—are jointly second, while seven European countries are jointly third. These include Finland,

Within South Asia, Maldives, with a much smaller population and economy, holds a comparatively stronger passport, ranked 52nd, with 93 visa-free destinations. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's neighbours such as Nepal (94th with 38 destinations), Pakistan (96th), and Sri Lanka (91st) are similarly struggling in the global passport rankings. Even India, with its large economy, ranks 80th, offering 56 visa-free destinations—a notable gap compared to the global leaders.

The Henley index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. It awards one point for each visa-free destination as well as other arrangements that do not require a prior government approval or a prior visa. In cases where either an advanced approval or a visa is required, there is no score. Hence each passport can get a highest score of 227.