News Desk :
Bangladesh passport moved up one notch from last year in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index, the pioneer ranking of all the world’s travel documents.
Out of a total 110 spots on the index, Bangladesh now ranks 100th, according to the Henley Passport Index 2021. Bangladesh passport holders can travel without prior visa to 41 destinations currently, the index points out. Last year, Bangladesh passport ranked 101st. This year Bangladesh shares the same spot with Lebanon and Sudan.
Three South Asian countries ranked worse than Bangladesh with Nepal in 103rd, Pakistan in 107th and Afghanistan in 110th positions, shows the index.
Despite a military coup, Bangladesh’s neighbour Myanmar has secured the 94th spot in the index with access to 47 destinations without prior visa.
One of the world’s most repressive countries, North Korea, is in 102nd position this year, just two notches down from Bangladesh.
The index by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners ranks passport power according to how many destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa and is updated throughout the year.
While it does not account for temporary Covid-19 travel restrictions, it indicates what post-pandemic travel freedom might look like as countries selectively begin to open their borders to international visitors, Henley & Partners said.
Among the other South Asian countries, Maldives ranks 60th, India 84th, Bhutan 89th and Sri Lanka 99th this year.
Japan and Singapore hold the top two spots in the index respectively, followed by South Korea and Germany in the third place jointly.
