The United Arab Emirates’ recent decision to suspend tourist, work and business visas for citizens of nine countries, including Bangladesh, is not merely an economic blow — it is naked proof of the state’s comprehensive failure.
Once a land of promise for migrant workers, Bangladesh now stands as a symbol of mistrust on the world stage. Economists have repeatedly warned: for a country dependent on remittances, losing labour markets abroad can paralyze the economy. Yet through governmental negligence, diplomatic breakdowns, and a fragile, mismanaged administration, one labour market after another is contracting.
Analysts say the erosion of international confidence stems from the rise of extremist militancy at home, political instability, and incompetent governance. When a state is held hostage by illegitimate or incapable rulers, the price is paid by its people — in bans, embarrassments, and lost opportunities. That grim reality has become painfully clear in Bangladesh today.
Why has a long-standing partner like the UAE moved to restrict visas for Bangladeshis? The answer is not only about economics or security; it is a reflection of Bangladesh’s collapsed international standing. When militancy grows, minority safety is threatened, and law enforcement becomes partisan, foreign governments are forced into harsh decisions.
Today’s ban is an ominous warning for tomorrow. If political crises are not resolved, if militancy is not crushed, and if illegitimate rule is not ended, then it will not be only the UAE — other countries will follow. Our labour markets will be destroyed, remittance streams severed, and the economy plunged into catastrophe.
Bangladesh stands at a perilous crossroads. The only way out is honest, capable, and legitimate governance. Without vigorous diplomacy, a determined campaign against militancy, restored political stability, and the rebuilding of public trust, no power can save Bangladesh’s standing on the world stage.
