The Bangladesh passport ranking is 97th in the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, with visa-free, visa-on-arrival or ETA access to 35 destinations. That is two fewer than in January, when it sat at 95th with 37. For Bangladeshi expats in Saudi Arabia, nothing about Iqama or exit travel changes.
What changed
| Item | January 2026 | July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Global rank | 95th | 97th |
| Destinations reachable without a prior visa | 37 | 35 |
Two separate things moved. Bangladesh lost access to two destinations over the first half of the year, and other countries kept signing agreements at a faster pace, which pushes a passport down the table even when its own count holds steady. A rank is relative. The destination count is the number that actually affects your travel plans.
One methodology point matters more than most people realise. The index counts three entry types only: visa-free, visa on arrival, and electronic travel authorisation. E-visas are left out entirely. So the real list of places a Bangladeshi passport holder can reach with a bit of online paperwork is considerably longer than 35.
Where the Bangladesh passport ranking sits against its neighbours
| Passport | Rank, July 2026 | Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 1st | 192 |
| UAE, Japan, South Korea | 2nd, tied | 188 |
| India | 80th | 56 |
| Bangladesh | 97th | 35 |
| Pakistan | 100th | 30 |
India slid from 75th earlier in the year to 80th while keeping the same 56 destinations, which is a clean example of a rank falling without anything real changing. Pakistan moved the other way and reached 100th, its best position in about a decade. If you want the full picture on the Indian side, we cover the Indian passport visa-free destination list in a separate guide.
Why some reports say 98th
You will see 98th quoted in places, and you will also see numbers in the 160s. Both come from real sources. Neither is the Henley figure.
Three things cause the confusion:
- Editions. Henley publishes more than once a year. The January 2026 edition put Bangladesh at 95th. The July 2026 edition put it at 97th. An article written in between is not wrong, just out of date.
- Adjacent ranks. Bangladesh shares 97th place with North Korea, and the countries immediately below it start at 98th. It is easy to read one row off.
- Different indexes. Henley is not the only passport ranking. Others score investment potential, quality of life or reciprocity alongside travel access, and they produce very different positions for the same passport. Comparing across indexes tells you nothing useful.
When you see a passport figure quoted anywhere, check which index it came from and which month.
What the 35 destinations actually cover
The 35 break down into roughly 16 visa-free, 15 visa on arrival and 4 electronic travel authorisations. Most of them are Caribbean and Pacific islands that almost no working expat is going to visit.
For someone flying out of Jeddah, Riyadh or Dammam, the practically useful ones are a short list:
- Nepal and Maldives. Visa on arrival, and the two most used by Bangladeshi travellers by a wide margin.
- Bhutan, Cambodia, Timor-Leste. Visa on arrival.
- Sri Lanka, Kenya, Seychelles. Electronic travel authorisation, applied for online before you fly.
- Rwanda. Visa-free entry.
Everything else in your realistic travel radius, including Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, Azerbaijan and the GCC states, sits outside the 35 and needs an e-visa or a proper visa application. That is not a downgrade. It just means the number is a narrow measure, not a travel plan.
What this means for expats in Saudi Arabia
Your ranking on a global index has no effect on your status here. Many Bangladeshi expats in Saudi Arabia read a story like this and wonder whether it touches their Iqama, their work permit or their annual leave trip home. It does not. Bangladesh is your own country, so travel home was never visa-dependent in the first place.
What genuinely governs your travel out of the Kingdom is a different set of documents:
- A valid exit and re-entry visa. No passport ranking helps if this is expired. Check yours through Absher before you book anything, and see our guide on how to check exit and re-entry visa status.
- Iqama validity that outlasts your trip. Airlines and Jawazat both check. Our walkthrough on checking your Iqama expiry date covers the Absher and non-Absher routes.
- Passport validity. Most destinations want six months of remaining validity from your entry date, and Bangladeshi e-passport renewal from Saudi Arabia takes time. Start early.
- What you carry out. If you are travelling with money or jewellery, the Saudi cash and gold declaration limit applies to you regardless of nationality.
For regional trips, your Saudi residency can matter more than your passport. Some countries treat GCC residents differently from applicants filing from home, which is why the UAE eVisa route for Saudi residents is worth understanding before you assume a destination is closed to you. In practice at the Jawazat office and at check-in, your Iqama does a lot of quiet work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bangladesh passport ranking in 2026?
Bangladesh ranks 97th in the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, sharing the position with North Korea. The passport gives access to 35 destinations without a visa arranged in advance. In the January 2026 edition it stood at 95th with 37 destinations.
Does the Bangladesh passport ranking affect my Iqama in Saudi Arabia?
No. The index measures visa access to other countries only. It has no bearing on your Iqama, your work permit, your sponsor transfer or your exit and re-entry visa. Your residency status in the Kingdom is governed entirely by Saudi rules.
Why do some articles say Bangladesh is 98th?
Usually because they quote an earlier edition of the index, misread the row below Bangladesh, or cite a completely different passport ranking that uses its own scoring method. Always check which index published the figure and in which month before repeating it.
Which useful countries can Bangladeshis enter without a prior visa?
From the current list, the realistic ones are Nepal and Maldives on visa on arrival, Bhutan, Cambodia and Timor-Leste also on arrival, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Seychelles on an electronic travel authorisation, and Rwanda visa-free. Most remaining entries are Caribbean and Pacific islands.
Are e-visa countries counted in the 35?
No. The index counts only visa-free entry, visa on arrival and electronic travel authorisation. Destinations that require an e-visa applied for before departure are excluded, which is why the number understates where a Bangladeshi passport holder can actually travel.
