INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
When Shahadat set out for Saudi Arabia from his village in Bangladesh, he was driven by a single purpose: to earn money for his impoverished
down the huge debt he took on to afford the illegal fees a recruitment agent had charged him to get to Saudi Arabia.Then it all began to
An employer failed to renew his residence permit, turning him into an undocumented worker
His health began to suffer, but his irregular status meant it would have been difficult to access medical care.He struggled to find work
Instead of sending money home, he had to borrow more to survive
He was so desperate he took on jobs on construction sites in exchange for only food and board.And then his journey came to a sudden end
as we investigated the high number of unexplained deaths of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.View image in fullscreenCoffins of
in the country every day in 2022
its audacious plans for the World Cup in 2034 are likely to see a surge in demand for workers like Shahadat.Over the past months, a host of
human rights groups have raised concerns about the alleged abuse of migrant workers and the risks of awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia,
ambulance to his village, about a three-hour drive from Dhaka
It was late at night when it arrived, but a crowd of more than 100 had stayed up to receive him
Every household in his village had sent someone abroad for work, and so the death of one weighed heavy on them all.It is a scene repeated
with gut-wrenching frequency in villages and towns across Bangladesh
At least 13,685 Bangladeshis died in Saudi Arabia between 2008 and 2022, according to Bangladeshi government records
The majority of deaths appear to be unexplained and unexamined, making it difficult to establish the underlying causes.View image in
All had relatives working abroadExperts have pointed to the harsh living and working conditions faced by many workers as likely contributory
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We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionSaudi
Arabia is a nation powered not just by oil, but by cheap labour
They come in their millions, from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and beyond
They will build the promised 11 new stadiums, transport networks and 185,000 hotel rooms
workers who have returned home suggest abuse is deeply entrenched in the Gulf kingdom
He was one of almost 70,000 Bangladeshis deported from Saudi Arabia in 2022, largely for not having a valid residence permit.They are
rounded up on the streets and taken to detention centres, where they are typically held for one to two weeks before being sent home
They bring back tales of shocking treatment and abuse; false contracts, unpaid wages and massive recruitment debts.View image in
fullscreenAbu Raihan sold his land in Bangladesh to secure a work visa in Saudi Arabia
He says he was promised a two-year contract, but after 90 days his company did not extend his visa.With no work and no food, Raihan went to
the police to complain, but instead of helping him, they took him to a detention centre, he alleges
those proven to have violated the work and residency regulations in the kingdom after taking all legal measures to verify their violations
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
