DHAKA, July 30, 2026 (v7n) – State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed today clarified that the automatic cancellation of UAE visas is not specific to Bangladesh, stating that 626 Bangladeshi nationals—not 5,000 as reported in some media—have been affected .
"This is not a country-specific issue. Citizens of Pakistan, Egypt, the Philippines, Nepal and several other countries have also experienced visa cancellations," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after an inter-ministerial meeting on the issue .
The state minister said detailed information on 417 of the affected workers has already been collected and forwarded to the UAE authorities for visa renewal. The remaining cases will be submitted in phases .
Shama said the Bangladesh missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have already contacted the UAE authorities, with further meetings expected next week. "We hope to receive a positive result," she said .
The state minister urged Bangladeshi nationals working abroad to strictly comply with the laws of their host countries. "Many migrant workers spend their life savings and sometimes sell land to secure overseas employment. Violating local laws through social media activities or other means could expose them to legal action," she said .
The Bangladesh Embassy is contacting companies employing affected workers to determine whether job losses or employer-related issues led to visa cancellations. If employers are responsible, the missions will explore possible remedies .
The government is also examining the use of forged documents, which harms both individual workers and Bangladesh's overseas labour market. Shama said the government may consider amending the Overseas Employment and Migrants Act, 2013, in consultation with the Ministry of Law to ensure stricter punishment for document fraud .
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has discussed the matter with both ministries and spoken directly with Bangladesh's Ambassador to the UAE. "The Prime Minister has instructed us to take all necessary remedial measures," Shama said .
Speaking after Shama, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur announced that his ministry would launch a dedicated hotline in Bangladesh for workers whose UAE visas had been cancelled after they returned home on leave. A separate emergency service line would also be opened in the UAE to register affected workers .
Nur urged Bangladeshi expatriates to protect the country's reputation by refraining from involvement in host countries' internal political affairs and avoiding social media content that might violate local laws. He warned that producing or submitting forged documents is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment under existing law .
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