Dhaka, March 5 -- For Abdul Jalil, a veteran worker in Saudi Arabia, a routine return from leave became a nightmare when all flights to the Gulf were suspended as war erupted in Iran, leaving him stranded in Dhaka with a visa ticking down by the hour.

Across the Middle East, tens of thousands of Bangladeshi expatriates now face uncertainty, their livelihoods, security, and remittances caught in the crossfire of a conflict they never imagined.

With his work spanning 23 years in Saudi Arabia, Jalil's return flight was scheduled for Saturday, but as war erupted in Iran, all flights to the Middle East were suspended. By 10:30pm that night, Jalil faced the expiry of his entry visa the following day.

"Every day, more workers like me find the...