Patna: Thousands of families across Bihar are facing uncertainty after multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv following the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, which has disrupted airspace across parts of the Middle East.
As airstrikes were reported in Dubai and Doha and airports were shut indefinitely, concerns mounted among families in north Bihar districts such as Siwan and Gopalganj — regions that have long supplied a significant construction workforce to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf countries.
The sudden suspension of flights has affected not only outbound migrant workers but also hundreds already employed in the UAE, including in Dubai and Doha, who now find themselves stranded just days before the Holi festival and during the holy month of Ramzan.
“Several youth workers returned from Dubai and Qatar to Patna till today and one group went to Doha on Friday. However, now with closure of airports and cancellation of flights, it is unlikely that people who have booked flights for coming back home for festivals will be able to do so. Besides, their families back here are worried about their well-being as airstrikes have been reported from some places in the UAE as well,” said S K Tiwari from Siwan, who is associated with a firm registered with the Ministry of External Affairs for outsourcing workers from Bihar to the UAE.
According to a report by NPR, the United States and Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Saturday against Iran as part of a major military campaign intended to topple the Islamic regime, according to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The attack reportedly began after sunrise in Iran, with large explosions in the capital, Tehran. Videos circulating online showed plumes of thick smoke.
The United Arab Emirates, a US ally, said it intercepted Iranian missiles and reported that shrapnel from one missile killed a national of an unspecified Asian country in Abu Dhabi.
Reports circulating on social media further heightened anxiety among families in Bihar. “We saw news on social media today that airstrikes have occurred in Dubai’s man-made island, The Palm, and that the Burj Khalifa has been closed owing to explosions in the region. Many youth from my village, including Hindus and Muslims, are working in Dubai and Qatar, and now we are worried for their safety as they are already at the mercy of construction companies,” said Munna Yadav from Gopalganj.
Migrant workers from Bihar form a substantial part of the Indian workforce in the UAE, particularly in construction. The number of skilled workers from Bihar seeking overseas employment has been rising steadily, reaching its highest level in seven years.
In 2018, 59,182 skilled workers from Bihar migrated abroad for work. By 2024, that figure had increased to 72,945.
Data from the Protection of Emigration (PoE), under the Ministry of External Affairs, show that the UAE remains the most popular destination for migrant workers from Bihar. In 2024, 29,191 workers from the state migrated to the UAE. Saudi Arabia followed with 28,293 workers, while Qatar accounted for 5,829. Oman (3,884) and Bahrain (1,801) completed the top five destinations.
With flights suspended and uncertainty over regional stability deepening, families across Bihar remain in limbo, waiting for clarity on when normal travel may resume and whether their relatives abroad are safe.
