Thousands Of Bangladeshis Stranded After UAE Visas Cancelled Without Warning

Thousands of Bangladeshi expatriates who returned home on leave are reportedly stranded after their UAE visas were cancelled without prior warning or an explanation, leaving their jobs, businesses and families in uncertainty.

According to a report by The Daily Star, around 4,800 Bangladeshi nationals have been affected by the cancellations. The issue is not limited to Bangladeshis, with several Pakistani expatriates also reportedly facing visa cancellations in the UAE.

Around 12 lakh Bangladeshi nationals live and work in the UAE, making them the country's third-largest expatriate community after Indians and Pakistanis. A large number are employed in construction, manufacturing and transportation.

For many of these workers, being unable to return to the UAE could have serious financial consequences. Workers often borrow heavily to pay recruitment agents for overseas employment, while their families depend on remittances sent from abroad.

The UAE is Bangladesh's largest source of remittances. Between 2023 and 2024, Bangladeshi workers in the UAE sent home around $3.65 billion, marking a 52% increase from the previous year.

Visa Cancellations Leave Expatriates Anxious

The affected expatriates said their visas were cancelled without any prior notice or explanation. The Bangladesh government has taken up the matter with the UAE and sought a review of the cancellations, The Daily Star reported.

One of those affected is Abul Kalam Azad, who has lived in the UAE for 27 years. He travelled to Bangladesh on April 7 and received an email on July 24 informing him that his UAE visa had been cancelled.

Azad said the email did not provide any reason for the cancellation.

Several other expatriates have reported receiving similar cancellation notices between July and September through emails or messages.

Last week, around 350 affected Bangladeshis attended a meeting with government representatives at the National Press Club in Dhaka, seeking urgent intervention. They submitted a five-point list of demands, including rehabilitation and financial assistance.

The expatriates have also sought monthly financial support of Tk 15,000-20,000 (around Rs 12,000-16,000) for their families. They urged the government to help them find employment in other countries if they are unable to return to the UAE.

One affected expatriate said he had no criminal case or other legal issue in the UAE and claimed he had two businesses and a wife in Dubai.

"I have two businesses there, and my wife is there. I was supposed to be in Dubai, but now we are going door-to-door seeking a solution," he said.

Bangladesh Minister for Expatriates' Welfare Nurul Haque Nur said the government was aware of the issue and was working to resolve it through diplomatic channels.

"Many of them have businesses and shops there. Efforts are underway to resolve the matter diplomatically," he said in a Facebook post.

Why Are UAE Visas Being Cancelled?

The precise reason behind the latest cancellations remains unclear.

Under UAE rules, residence visas are generally cancelled when an expatriate remains outside the country for more than six consecutive months. However, affected Bangladeshis said their visas were cancelled despite them having spent only two to three months outside the UAE.

In July, Bangladesh's then state minister for foreign affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, said the UAE visas of 626 Bangladeshis had been "auto-cancelled", according to Dhaka Tribune.

While she did not specify the reason, she urged Bangladeshi expatriates to avoid criminal activities and posting sensitive or political content on social media.

The UAE has also imposed restrictions affecting Pakistani nationals, with concerns previously reported over criminal activities and begging.

MS Shekil Chowdhury, chairperson of the Centre for Non-Resident Bangladeshi, said scrutiny by UAE authorities had increased amid instability in the Middle East and the US-Iran conflict.

Chowdhury told The Daily Star that social media activity and content perceived as posing a security concern could attract greater scrutiny, while stressing that these factors may not be directly responsible for the visa cancellations.

The UAE authorities have not officially cited a reason for the cancellations.

The development has added to concerns among Bangladeshi migrants, who have already faced restrictions on overseas employment opportunities. Since 2013, the UAE has reportedly recruited only skilled workers from Bangladesh.

For the affected expatriates, the uncertainty now extends beyond their visas, with jobs, businesses and family incomes potentially at stake.