Bangladeshi passport holders are facing a significantly harsher global travel landscape. What was once an expanding world of possibilities-made easier by visa-on-arrival and eVisa facilities-is rapidly contracting. Countries across East and Southeast Asia, parts of the Middle East, and Europe are imposing increasingly stringent restrictions. The result: destinations once accessible to Bangladeshis are now either closed off, bureaucratically slowed, or severely limited.
Shrinkage in Southeast Asia: Indonesia: For years, Bangladeshis could visit Indonesia on arrival. Tourist hotspots like Bali were within easy reach. But now, Indonesia has rescinded this facility. Tourist visa processing has become complex, often involving a high fee (~BDT 14,000), an invitation from a local host, and lengthy wait times of up to 1.5 months. The Visa-on-Arrival exemption lists confirm Bangladesh was removed in March 2022. When faced with delays, Bangladesh requested reinstatement, but so far to no avail.
Cambodia: Once a travel favorite thanks to Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, Cambodia now imposes tough pre-approval requirements. Visa-on-arrival has been suspended for Bangladeshis and is replaced with stringent eVisa rules and processing delays. Reddit users confirm these obstacles: “Cambodia stopped giving out e?visas to Bangladeshis… unless you have an official immigration approval letter. They kept returning my e?visa as well”
Vietnam: Bangladeshis have been barred from tourist visas to Vietnam since January 2025, a measure triggered by widespread visa overstays among Bangladeshi travelers. This closure followed a steep 60-70% non-return rate that alarmed Vietnamese authorities.
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore: Other ‘typical’ destinations-Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore-have tightened visa rules sharply. E-visa systems and additional documentation requirements, coupled with stricter scrutiny, have dramatically reduced entry for Bangladeshi tourists and business travelers.
Broader Global Visa Retrenchment: India Blockade: Since the August 2024 political unrest, India nearly halted all visas for Bangladeshis, sparing only urgent medical travel and student visas. Given its role as a gateway to Nepal and Bhutan, this blockade curbed many visa-on-arrival routes.
UAE and Middle East: The UAE suspended visa issuance in mid-2024, partially resuming with tightly capped quotas (30-50 per day); demand continues to exceed supply. Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait also tightened entry, especially for migrant and religious travel. Work visas too were paused or significantly delayed across Gulf countries.
Europe: Visas to Schengen countries, Italy, France, Germany, and the UK have seen growing rejection rates. Business and leisure visa applications face prolonged processing delays. Indian embassies tied to EU consulates caused additional delays, pushing Bangladesh’s applications into a bottleneck.
Economic and Social Consequences: Outbound tourism has cratered-by as much as 80% since 2024, according to industry associations. Tourist operators report a 60% drop in flight ticket sales since December. Between 40,000-45,000 citizens used to travel abroad annually for leisure; that number has more than halved. Increased vetting and travel refusals have dented consumer confidence, especially among middle-income travelers. Domestic tourism may benefit temporarily, but sustainability is questionable.
Labor migration-a crucial remittance risk-also took a hit. In the UAE, employment dropped from 5,000 hires monthly pre-2024 to barely 23 in December. Oman, too, reported a severe fall. These lost streams deepen pressure on remittances.
Voices from the Field: Mohammad Rafiuzzaman, President of TOAB, warns: “Outbound tourism is being hampered... visas for Dubai, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar are now unavailable. Visa processes for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand have become complicated.”
Foreign Affairs Advisor Towhid Hossain states: “We are largely responsible... People and businessmen of our country are responsible... The way people are not following rules is creating problems.”
Former ambassador M. Humayun Kabir adds: “Many pose as tourists to work abroad… damaging Bangladesh’s international image.”
Travel expert AKM Mahfuzul Alam Palash from ShareTrip notes: “Once Indian visas dried up, demand surged for Southeast Asia and UAE visas… Thailand and Singapore are rejecting many applications, especially those with new passports.”
Policy Backdrop & Diplomatic Tensions: Bangladesh’s passport ranks a low 93rd-95th in global passport indexes, equated with states like Libya and North Korea.
To make matters more complex, the interim government reinstated “except Israel” on new passports in April 2025.
Despite strong diplomatic ties with places like Indonesia and Vietnam, visa restrictions persist. Human trafficking, visa overstays, and misuse of tourist visas for labor are consistently cited as causes. Indonesia says visa-on-arrival was suspended due to human trafficking and public safety concerns, citing routes to Australia.
What Must Be Done: Enforce Stronger Immigration Compliance: Tightening tracking of tourist entry/exit and eradicating visa fraud through clear penalties and tech-based monitoring. Diplomatic Outreach for Visa Dialogue. TOAB and the Foreign Ministry urge bilateral discussions with embassies of Indonesia, Vietnam, UAE, and EU countries to reopen pathways. Regulate Visa Brokers & Labor Agents: Target operators involved in abuse of tourist routes. Enhance vetting protocols via embassies. Expand Digital Infrastructure: Introduce e-gates, biometric tracking, and real-time visa status updates to restore trust. Diversify Travel Options: Promote alternative destinations-China, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, even scout new East Asian markets. Restore Passport Reputation: Bangladesh needs a comprehensive strategy addressing diaspora issues, training green card holders, and reinforcing consular diplomacy.
A Passport at Risk: Bangladesh’s travel freedom has sharply declined over the past year. Visa windows once readily open are now tightly controlled-or fully shut. The root of the problem is not just bureaucracy, but trust-broken through misuse, overstays, trafficking, and lax compliance. Unless Bangladesh tackles these systemic issues head-on-with migrants understanding the risks and proactive diplomacy-the world will continue to shrink for its citizens. This issue is not merely inconvenient-it’s symbolic of Bangladesh’s international reputation and its readiness for global engagement.
