Does Bahrain's PDPL require cookie consent?

Yes, and it has to be express. Where a website relies on consent, Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018) requires it to be express and given in writing or by electronic means: continued browsing is not consent. And access to the site cannot depend on accepting non-essential cookies.

So a website in Bahrain shows a banner with a real choice before advertising or analytics cookies run, stores each answer with its date, and lets visitors withdraw it later through an easy procedure.

The law has been in force since 1 August 2019, enforced by the Personal Data Protection Authority.