No visa ban directive on Bangladesh, says Dhaka's ambassador to UAE

Ambassador suggests “malicious intent” behind the viral claim

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Tareq Ahmed has said there is no directive from UAE authorities to impose a visa ban.

The denial comes after reports on a website called “UAE Visa Online” claimed that nine countries including Bangladesh have been placed under visa restrictions by the UAE.

Ambassador Tareq called the reports “malicious propaganda” and said neither the Embassy in Abu Dhabi nor the consulate in Dubai has received any such instruction.

He added that due to the weekend holidays in UAE, further verification will be done when official offices reopen.

According to the website, the UAE has included Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Cameroon, Sudan and Uganda in its 2026 visa ban list.

It claimed that under an official notification, citizens of these countries are currently not eligible to apply for tourist visas or work permits.

The report spread quickly online, sparking concern among expatriates.

At present, an estimated 1–1.2 million Bangladeshis are employed in the UAE labour market.