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Bangolok Desk News 2026-08-26, 9:02pm

Bangladesh Has Visa Waiver Arrangements With 34 Countries

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Image: Collected


Bangladesh has visa waiver arrangements with 34 countries for holders of specific categories of Bangladeshi passports, according to an official list published by the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs on August 24, 2026.

The ministry’s official notice, titled “List of Countries Bound by Visa Waiver Agreement with Bangladesh till 01/07/2026,” confirms that the arrangements covered 34 countries as of July 1, 2026.

According to the list, holders of diplomatic and official passports can travel without visas to 31 countries. These are Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Chile, Laos, Belarus, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Kuwait, Russia, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, India, China, Brunei, Oman, Indonesia, Brazil, Qatar, Botswana, Kosovo, South Korea, Serbia, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, The Gambia, Pakistan and Mongolia.

Japan and Uzbekistan have separate arrangements that provide visa-free travel only to Bangladeshi diplomatic passport holders. The Maldives is the only country on the list that provides visa-free entry to holders of all categories of Bangladeshi passports, although the exemption does not apply to people travelling for employment.

The length of visa-free stays varies depending on the country and the relevant agreement. In general, the permitted stay ranges from 30 to 90 days. South Korea and the Maldives allow stays of up to 90 days, while Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Chile, Türkiye, Laos and Belarus also provide stays of up to 90 days under their respective arrangements. India permits Bangladeshi diplomatic and official passport holders to stay visa-free for up to 45 days.

Several agreements listed by the ministry have not yet entered into force. The visa waiver agreement with Timor-Leste was signed on December 15, 2024, while Bangladesh signed similar agreements with Mongolia on December 11, 2025, and Uzbekistan on September 26, 2025. These arrangements remain pending implementation.

The agreement with The Gambia, signed on March 13, 2025, is also classified as a proposed visa waiver arrangement in the ministry’s list, despite specifying a potential 90-day visa-free stay. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh-Pakistan agreement signed in Dhaka on August 24, 2025, allows diplomatic and official passport holders of both countries to stay visa-free for up to 30 days.

The information is based primarily on the Bangladesh Ministry of Home Affairs’ official visa-waiver list, with details cross-checked against reporting by The Business Standard.