State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Thursday said exactly 626 Bangladeshis, not 5,000, have experienced "auto-cancellation" of their visas so far, and the government is closely working with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their visa renewals.
“Recent news reports claiming that 5,000 Bangladeshis have had their visas cancelled in the UAE are inaccurate. According to official data, exactly 626 Bangladeshis have experienced "auto-cancellation" of their visas so far,” she told reporters at a joint briefing with State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md. Nurul Haque at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, they had an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shama Obaed said the situation is not specific to Bangladesh and citizens of other countries including Nepal, Pakistan, Egypt, and the Philippines have also faced visa cancellations for various reasons.
“Out of the 626 affected Bangladeshis, details of 417 individuals have already been submitted to the UAE government for visa renewals. Information for the remaining individuals is being processed and forwarded systematically,” she said.
If visas were cancelled due to job termination, the respective employers bear certain responsibilities, said the state minister.
The Bangladeshi Embassy in the UAE is directly coordinating with these companies to find viable solutions, she added.
“We hope we will get a positive result,” said the State Minister, encouraging the media to report based on verified facts.
Shama Obaed said expatriates must strictly respect and follow the laws of their host country and refrain from engaging in unlawful activities or posting sensitive or political content on social media platforms. “We want to send out a message - please refrain from engaging in unlawful activities.”
Many migrant workers go abroad after making immense financial sacrifices, and when individuals submit fraudulent or forged documents, it harms the country's reputation and creates hurdles for those attempting to travel legally, she said.
Shama Obaed said the government will consider amendments, if required, to the relevant law to enforce stricter measures against document forgery.
Migration costs from Bangladesh remain significantly higher than those from neighboring countries like Nepal.
The government has initiated active measures to reduce migration expenses and protect workers from fraudulent middlemen networks.
For the first time in history, Shama Obaed said, a dedicated 'Migration and NRB Affairs Wing' has been established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to curb illegal migration and human trafficking.