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Published : 25 Jul 2026, 03:19 PM
Bangladeshi expatriates in Bahrain are calling on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to intervene diplomatically, as a freeze on new labour visas in the Gulf island nation stretches into its eighth year.
Bahrain has effectively suspended new labour visas for Bangladeshi workers since 2018.
Around 150,000 expatriates in the country are grappling with staff shortages, business slowdowns, prolonged separation from family, and sudden job losses.
The crisis goes beyond labour visas.
Restrictions on family and visit visas have also made life harder for expatriates.
Asgar Ali, a Manama-based trading businessman from Chattogram's Rangunia, said despite running his business for 21 years, the lack of a family visa has forced him to live apart from his family.
Chandpur businessman Omar Faruq described a similar struggle.
He owns five establishments in Manama, including a salon, cold storage and scrap business.
Whenever he returns home to spend time with family, his businesses go unsupervised, leading to significant losses.
Expatriate businesses are also short on staff.
Masud, from Brahmanbaria's Nabinagar and owner of M Rahman Group Trading, said the “lack of effective diplomatic effort” to reclaim Bangladesh's footing in Bahrain's labour market has made it impossible to hire new workers, hurting his business.
He believes resolving the deadlock needs a direct visit to Bahrain by Prime Minister Tarique , or fruitful talks led by a senior government delegation.
Expatriates returning home on leave also face the risk of sudden visa cancellations.
Salauddin Lovlu, owner of Maa Trading and a resident of Chattogram's Patiya, said his younger brother's employer cancelled his visa without warning after he returned to Bangladesh in June.
Had the visa stayed active, he could have gone back to Bahrain on a fresh one.
Lovlu hurged the prime minister to address such uncertainty.
Expatriates say workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are steadily strengthening their foothold in Bahrain's labour market while the prolonged visa freeze keeps Bangladeshi workers on the sidelines.
Bahrain established formal diplomatic ties with Bangladesh in 1974 and became the first West Asian country to recognise the newly independent nation.
It has also remained among the top 10 sources of remittances for years.
Expatriates are calling for high-level bilateral talks to revive this goodwill and economic partnership.
