Airlines and travel agents in the UAE have been asked to implement new procedures for visit and tourist visa holders from Bangladesh and four other countries flying into Dubai.
As per the latest instructions from the authorities, visit and tourist visa holders from these five countries must hold valid round-trip tickets for entry to Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), Gulf News reported on Thursday.
The decision came after hundreds of passengers stranded at Dubai International Airport since Tuesday were flown back to their countries.
The other four countries are Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Nepal.
Travellers failing to comply with the new regulations will be sent back to the same destination from where they came, on the expenses of the airlines concerned, the report said.
Travel agents said they have also been informed that these passengers should have a minimum of 2,000 dirhams with them.
However, the airlines did not make any announcement about this till the time of publishing this report, Gulf News said.
When contacted in this regard on Friday, Biman Bangladesh Airlines CEO Mokabbir Hossain told Dhaka Tribune that they had been re-issuing tickets for Dubai to return-ticket holders only, since August 16.
Following the implementation of the new travel rule by the UAE, The Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a notice on Friday, asking all Bangladeshi residents who have tourist/visit visas to ensure they have return tickets, and have confirmed reservation at hotels or the address of residence elsewhere in Dubai.
Indians, Pakistanis deported
Hundreds of passengers from India and Pakistan, who were denied entry for non-compliance of regulations for visit/tourist visa holders, were flown back home while a few dozens were cleared for entry, Indian and Pakistani missions in Dubai confirmed to Gulf News.
“Out of 561 stranded Pakistani passengers, the consulate managed the entry of 23 passengers into the UAE. Of the remaining, 386 have been sent back and 152 are still at the airport. Their repatriation is being arranged on various flights by tonight,” a spokesperson from the Pakistani Consulate in Dubai said.
Out of around 200 Indian passengers stranded at the airport, 120 were flown back to India, according to Neeraj Agrawal, consul for Press, Information and Culture at the Indian Consulate in Dubai.
“Over 30 were cleared for entry. The rest will be sent back tonight (Thursday),” he added.
