Over 50,000 Bangladeshis have already benefited from the general amnesty announced by the UAE from July 1 to December 31.
"We encourage those who are still undocumented in the UAE to take advantage of this opportunity," spokesperson of the foreign ministry Mohammad Rafiqul Alam told reporters at the weekly briefing on Thursday.
The UAE government has announced a general amnesty period from July 1 to December 31, 2024, allowing undocumented workers to regularize their status or return to their home countries without penalties.
Replying to a question on why are tourist, business, and other visas to the UAE closed? Is this related to the 57 people being detained, and why hasn't the visa issue been resolved yet?
The spokesperson said, the UAE frequently adjusts its visa policies to protect its own interests.
This is entirely within their jurisdiction. Even before the incident of July, the UAE government had imposed stricter regulations on issuing visas for Bangladeshis in various categories, he said, referring to the detention of Bangladeshis during the protest in July.
"After the incident, these measures seem to have become even stricter, although the UAE government has not officially announced any visa restrictions," the spokesperson said.
The Embassy has raised concerns with the UAE authorities both formally and informally regarding issues faced by Bangladeshis in obtaining visas.
The authorities have assured that they will review these concerns, he said, adding that other GCC countries like Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait have also imposed strict controls on issuing visas to Bangladeshis due to similar issues.
"For us to send workers freely to these labour markets, these issues must be addressed, and our workforce must be trained and developed," he said.
"The UAE follows a quota system for foreign workers, which is another factor contributing to the controls on issuing visas for Bangladeshis. Additionally, the UAE's visa restrictions apply not only to Bangladesh but also to other countries like Pakistan, Tajikistan, and several African nations."