Cabinet Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence of the UAE, Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mobarak Al Nahayan meet with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today at the State Guest House Jamuna. Photo: PID

Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Muhammad Yunus extended his appreciation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday for progressing toward easing visa restrictions for Bangladeshi nationals.

He also welcomed the Gulf nation’s interest in investing across multiple sectors in Bangladesh.

The sentiments were shared during a high-level meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna, where Professor Yunus hosted UAE Cabinet Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan.

The UAE delegation, comprising senior officials, arrived in Dhaka on a brief visit earlier in the day and was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser, Lutfey Siddiqi.

Among the visiting dignitaries were Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Hawi, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Investment.

“We are here under the directive of our President to demonstrate the strength of our relationship and mutual commitment to cooperation,” stated Sheikh Nahayan during the dialogue. “Our countries have been deepening engagement recently, and we are committed to continuing our support in areas ranging from economic investment to visa facilitation.”

Professor Yunus expressed optimism about the growing bilateral relationship and acknowledged the recent steps taken by the UAE to reopen visa channels. “We value the evolving partnership and encourage investments in diversified industries. The gesture to resume visa services is commendable, and we look forward to resolving the remaining issues through continued dialogue,” he said.

Recent developments include the resumption of 30 to 50 visit visas daily, acceleration of business visa approvals, and the reactivation of the online portal for skilled labor recruitment by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources. Sectors such as marketing, hospitality, and security have already benefited, with 500 visas for security personnel issued and an additional 1,000 in the pipeline.

The meeting was also attended by UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Ali Al Hmoudi and Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE Tareq Ahmed. The delegation concluded its visit shortly after the talks.