Bangladeshi passport now 9th weakest globally

The Bangladeshi passport is ranked 9th weakest globally and the holders can travel to just 40 out of 227 travel destinations around the world without a prior visa, according to the fourth quarter edition of Henley Passport Index 2021.

The index released on Tuesday by Henley & Partners placed Bangladesh at the 108th position among 116 spots. Kosovo and Libya are also holding the same position.

Bangladesh had ranked 106th in the third quarter edition published in July among 116 spots, 100th in the second quarter edition published in April among 110 spots and was in 101st position in the first quarter edition in January.

The index highlighted among the 40 destinations that a Bangladeshi can travel to, 15 are in Africa, 9 in the Caribbean, five 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, Japanese and Singaporean passport holders are allowed to go to a record 192 destinations visa-free, which is why the both passports hold the top position on the index.

Germany and South Korea share the 2nd place, having access to 190 destinations.

The recent edition of the index ranked passports of 199 countries in 116 spots, based on the number of destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa.

The passport of the Maldives is the most powerful in South Asia (ranked 66th) enabling visa-free entry to 87 countries, followed by India (90th), Bhutan (96th), and Sri Lanka (107th).

Bangladesh is in the fifth position in South Asia, above Nepal (110th) and Pakistan (113th).

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.