Bangla Press Desk: Bangladesh has launched diplomatic efforts to bring back expatriates stranded at home after their United Arab Emirates work visas were suddenly cancelled while they were on holiday.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi said on Sunday it had sent a list of the affected expatriates to the UAE government.
The embassy said it began compiling a database from emails sent by affected workers after news of the cancellations first surfaced, verifying the details before forwarding them to the Emirati authorities in phases.
It added that information on 985 Bangladeshis had been submitted through a diplomatic note, known as a note verbale, as of Aug 3.
The note seeks clarification on the reasons behind the visa cancellations, possible procedures for restoring the visas, and assistance for affected expatriates who remain in Bangladesh but have businesses, bank accounts or other assets in the UAE.
The embassy said it had received around 2,500 applications by email and had verified 985 of them so far.
It said newly received applications would also be checked before being forwarded to the local authorities.
On Aug 1, the embassy asked Bangladeshis affected by visa cancellations to send their information to its official email address.
The notice said the embassy had received reports from sources that some Bangladeshis had their visas revoked and was closely monitoring the situation.
It requested the information to build a reliable and updated database.
The embassy, however, said being included in the database does not guarantee that a visa will be restored.
It said only the UAE government has the authority to reactivate cancelled visas, while the Bangladesh mission is collecting information and presenting the cases for consideration.
News of the large-scale visa cancellations has sparked anxiety among many Bangladeshis currently on leave at home.
Many have been trying to return to the UAE before their scheduled flights, with some paying several times the normal airfare or spending extra money to change their tickets.
Why Are Visas Being Cancelled?
A senior Bangladesh Embassy official in Abu Dhabi, speaking to bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity, said the UAE authorities had not provided any formal explanation.
The official said the cancellations could stem from several possible reasons, including:
• Employers recruiting beyond their approved quota;
• Differences between a worker's visa designation and actual job;
• Breaches of the Wage Protection System requirements;
• Administrative issues involving company licences or operations;
• Working as a labourer while holding an investor visa;
• Forged certificates;
• Involvement in activities on social media that violate UAE laws or policies; and
• Criminal or disciplinary allegations.
The official said artificial intelligence and facial recognition technologies are now being used more widely in the UAE, making compliance with local laws increasingly important.
The official added that Pakistani nationals faced the problem in greater numbers than Bangladeshis.
"We will continue our diplomatic efforts to help affected Bangladeshi workers return to their workplaces.”
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