UAE eases visa curbs, eyes investment in Bangladesh
Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its significant steps towards reinstating visa services for Bangladeshi nationals and welcomed the Gulf nation’s investment proposals across multiple sectors.
During a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna, Dr Yunus conveyed his appreciation to Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, UAE Cabinet Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, who led a high-level delegation to Dhaka. The UAE delegation arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:45 pm for a brief official visit and was received by the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy, Lutfey Siddiqi.
The delegation included prominent officials such as Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Hawi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment. The UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdullah Ali Al Hmodi, and Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the UAE, Tareq Ahmed, were also present at the meeting.
Sheikh Al Nahayan, who formerly served as Minister for Higher Education, stated, “I am here under the directive of our President to reaffirm our solidarity and strong friendship with Bangladesh. We value the deepening dialogue between our two governments and are committed to cooperation across a broad spectrum-from investment to visa facilitation.”
In response, Chief Adviser Dr Yunus welcomed the strengthening of bilateral relations, remarking: “We appreciate this spirit of collaboration and are open to investment across a wide range of industries.” On the issue of visa access, he added: “Thank you for opening the door. While some steps remain, we are hopeful for continued engagement to resolve outstanding matters.”
Recent developments have seen the UAE resume the issuance of 30 to 50 visit visas per day for Bangladeshi nationals. There has also been a notable increase in the approval rate for bulk business visas. Additionally, the UAE Ministry of Human Resources has reactivated its online platform for processing skilled employment visas, resulting in recent approvals for roles such as marketing managers and hotel personnel.