UAE visa cancellations not Bangladesh-specific; 626 nationals affected: State Minister

Dhaka: The government said the recent automatic cancellation of UAE visas was not specific to Bangladeshi nationals, clarifying that 626 Bangladeshis had been affected — far fewer than media reports claiming around 5,000 cases.

Briefing reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 30, Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaed Islam said citizens of Pakistan, Egypt, the Philippines, Nepal, and several other countries had also experienced similar visa cancellations.

"According to information received from our embassy and the UAE authorities, the number of affected Bangladeshi nationals stands at 626," she said.

Shama said detailed information on 417 affected workers had already been collected and forwarded to the UAE authorities for visa renewal, while the remaining cases would be submitted in phases. Bangladesh's missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have engaged with the UAE authorities, with further meetings expected next week.

She urged Bangladeshi expatriates to strictly comply with the laws of their host countries, warning that activities violating local regulations, including inappropriate use of social media, could lead to legal consequences.

The government is also investigating whether visa cancellations resulted from employer-related actions, including termination of employment. If employers are found responsible, Bangladesh missions will engage with the companies concerned to seek possible remedies.

The state minister said authorities were also addressing the use of forged documents in overseas employment, describing document fraud as a serious threat to both migrant workers and Bangladesh's overseas labor market. She said the government may amend the Overseas Employment and Migrants Act, 2013, in consultation with the Ministry of Law to strengthen penalties against document fraud.

Shama said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had personally reviewed the issue with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and directed officials to take all necessary measures to resolve the matter. She also urged the media to verify information before publishing reports on sensitive migration issues.

The inter-ministerial meeting also discussed high migration costs, visa-related challenges, and the role of dishonest recruiting agencies and brokers.

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment State Minister Nurul Haque Nur announced that his ministry would launch a dedicated hotline in Bangladesh for workers whose UAE visas were cancelled while they were on leave, alongside an emergency service line in the UAE to register affected workers and provide assistance.

He also urged expatriate Bangladeshis to avoid involvement in the internal political affairs of host countries and warned that submitting forged documents is punishable under existing laws.

Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaed Islam and Expatriates' Welfare State Minister Nurul Haque Nur seen, among others, during inter-ministerial meeting at Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 30.