Dubai toughens travel rules for Bangladeshi visitors

Dubai is toughening its travel rules for visitors from five countries including Bangladesh, its airlines and travels agents said on Thursday. The other four countries are India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal.

According to the authorities of Dubai, passengers from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bangladesh arriving at the Dubai International Airport and the Al Maktoum International Airport with tourist visas, must have return tickets, according to a Gulf News report. If the any passengers do not have a round trip ticket, they will be sent back to the destination from where they came.

The Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal nationals will only be able to enter Dubai if these new rules are met. The concerned airline companies have been informed of the matter.

A few hundred passengers from India and Pakistan had earlier been sent back to their respective countries from the Dubai airport. India's Indigo Airlines and Air India Express have said that if any passengers did not have a legitimate return ticket, they would have to return at their own expense.

The Pakistani consulate in Dubai said that of 561 Pakistani passengers, they only managed the entry of 23 passengers into UAE. So far 386 have been sent back.

Meanwhile, the Indian consulate in Dubai said 120 of 200 Indian passengers were flown back home. And 30 were cleared for entry.

Most of the passengers sent back were workers.