Bangladeshi migrant workers (expats) face devastating consequences as ongoing Iran-Israel conflict disrupts Gulf-bound flights, threatening their jobs, residency permits and family survival back home.

Qatar-bound flights remain completely suspended, forcing workers into expensive rebooking cycles. Dammam airport operations have halted entirely. Workers crowd Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Dhaka airport) daily, only to face repeated cancellations and mounting costs.

Anguish of one worker from Comilla captured the crisis as he said, “My Aqama expires in 10 days. If I cannot reach Qatar, I lose everything. My job, my legal status, perhaps my ability to ever return”. Another expat paid for tickets scheduled for March 3 and had a new visa, only to learn flights were cancelled due to war.

Financial devastation compounds the misery. Workers must obtain refunds from original travel agencies, then purchase new tickets through Bangladesh Biman at higher prices. Many spent thousands on initial bookings, accommodation in Dhaka, and daily expenses while stranded. “I do not have money to keep losing like this”, one worker said.

Four flights have landed from Middle East so far, bringing back earlier passengers. Muscat travellers reported smooth journeys, but Saudi Arabia and Dubai passengers faced four to five-day delays beyond scheduled departures. Expected flights from Doha and Medina at 10:30am and 10:45am offer little certainty.

Despite life-threatening risks, workers insist they must travel. “We know there is bombing in Dubai. We know we might not return alive. But if we do not go, how will our families eat?" one worker explained. Another added, “Government will not feed our children. We have no choice but to face the bombs”.

Visa expiration creates impossible situations. Workers receiving calls promising flights at noon arrive at airport to find no departure schedules displayed. Police officers tell them to return after four hours. Meanwhile, precious days tick away on residence permits.

Permanent residents abroad face equal terror. “Those living there are frightened. Many are stuck. We who are trying to go are also frightened. But we must go for our bread and butter”, a departing worker said.

Shared accommodation burdens add to stress. Workers describe painful conditions of multiple families squeezed into single rooms in Dhaka while waiting for flights. “Everyone knows how difficult it is living like this”, one said.

Some heard about one-month grace period extensions on Aqama validity, but uncertainty about implementation persists. “If that does not become effective, we cannot enter the country. Then what happens to new visas we purchased?” a worker asked.

Travel agency confusion worsens situation. Workers report contradictory information about which airlines operate, refund procedures, and departure possibilities. Digital displays at airport show blank schedules, leaving hundreds in limbo.

Family members waiting at airport expressed relief when relatives arrived safely, though many experienced significant delays. Passengers clarified that media panic exceeded ground reality in most Gulf locations. Serious complications remained limited to specific Iran-Israel conflict zones. Other expatriate communities reported relatively normal conditions.

Yet departing workers carry profound fear. “Expatriate life always involves risk. We live with danger. But now we go knowing bombs are falling, not knowing if we return. Still, we go because families depend on our income”, one said.