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In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Nepali worker, Manjur Kha Pathan, who was working as a truck driver. The report says that Manjur died in Qatar on 9 February 2021 at the age of 40. His death certificate, issued by the Qatari authorities on 16 February 2021, describes the cause of death as “heart failure unspecified”. It provides no information on the underlying cause of death. The worker’s brother told AI that Manjur used to work 12 to 13 hours a day and that the AC in the truck didn’t always work. He was generally healthy.
Other
Not Reported (
Transport: General
)
- Employer
Affected
Total individuals affected:
1
Migrant & immigrant workers: (
1
- Nepal
, Transport: General
, Gender not reported
)
Issues
Deaths
,
Personal Health
Response
Response sought: No
Action taken: The worker’s family received 316,000 Nepalese rupees (approx. USD 2,666) in wages and end-of-service benefits from the employer in Qatar. The employers told the family that because he died in the camp, not in a work- related accident, he was not eligible for compensation under Qatari law.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Aug 2021
Location:
Qatar
In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Nepali worker, Tul Bahadur Gharti, who was working in construction. The report said that Tul died on 28 May 2020 when he was 34 years old. His death certificate issued by the Qatari authorities, on 3 June 2020, doesn’t provide information on the cause of death; it only describes the cause of death as “acute cardio respiratory failure due to natural causes”. Tul used to work outdoors 10 hours a day, with two additional hours of travel to and from his accommodation. At the time of his death, the temperature in Doha reached 39°C and there were no restrictions on outdoor work. His wife told AI that he was generally healthy.
Other
Not Reported (
Construction
)
- Employer
Affected
Total individuals affected:
1
Migrant & immigrant workers: (
1
- Nepal
, Construction
, Gender not reported
)
Issues
Deaths
,
Personal Health
Response
Response sought: No
Action taken: The worker’s wife received QR3,100 (Approx. USD 850) in dues from his employer. She also received 700,000 Nepalese rupees (Approx. USD 5,800) from Nepal’s welfare board and 1 million rupees (Approx. USD 8,275) from a private insurance scheme.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Aug 2021
Location:
Qatar
In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Bangladeshi worker, Mohammed Suman Miah, who was working in construction. The report says that Suman died on 29 April 2020 when he was 34 years old. His death certificate issued by the Qatari authorities, four days after his passing, doesn’t provide information on the cause of death; it only describes the cause of death as “acute heart failure due to natural causes”.
Suman’s wife told Amnesty International that he had passed a medical assessment in Dhaka prior to his travel to Qatar, and that he had been in a good health before his death. At the time of his death the temperature reached 38°C with no restrictions on outdoor work despite the extreme temperature.
Suman paid 600,000 Bangladeshi taka (approx. USD 7,000) to secure a visa for Qatar; his family had to borrow half of the amount.
Other
Not Reported (
Construction
)
- Employer
Affected
Total individuals affected:
1
Migrant & immigrant workers: (
1
- Bangladesh
, Construction
, Gender not reported
)
Issues
Deaths
,
Recruitment Fees
,
Personal Health
Response
Response sought: No
Action taken: Not reported
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Aug 2021
Location:
Qatar
In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Bangladeshi worker, Mohammad Kaochar Khan, who was working as a plasterer on a construction site when he died, on 15 November 2017, at the age of 34. His death certificate issued by the Qatari authorities on 20 November doesn’t provide information on the cause of death, it only describes the cause of death as “acute heart failure due to natural causes”.
Mohammad’s brother told Amnesty International that Mohammad had passed a medical assessment in Dhaka prior to his travel to Qatar, and that they believed that he was in a good health at the time of his death. The family sold a land and took out a loan in order to partly fund the 350,000 Bangladeshi taka (approx. USD 4,130) that Mohammad paid in recruitment fees. He added that Mohammad’s employers have sent all due wages, they didn't send the end-of -service benefit that the family believed he was owed.
Other
Not Reported (
Construction
)
- Employer
Affected
Total individuals affected:
1
Migrant & immigrant workers: (
1
- Bangladesh
, Construction
, Gender not reported
)
Issues
Deaths
,
Recruitment Fees
,
Personal Health
,
Wage Theft
Response
Response sought: No
Action taken: The worker’s family received form the Bangladeshi Welfare Board 35,000 Bangladeshi taka (approx. USD 413) to cover his burial and transportation costs and a financial assistance of 300,000 Bangladeshi taka (approx.. USD 3,540).
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Aug 2021
Location:
Qatar
In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Bangladeshi worker, Sujan Miah, who was working as a pipe fitter on a project in the desert. The report says that Sujan died on 24 September 2020 when he was 32 years old. His death certificate issued by the Qatari authorities, 6 days after his passing, doesn’t provide information on the cause of death; it only describes the cause of death as “acute heart failure due to natural causes”.
The Sujan’s brother told AI that he was generally healthy before his death and that he had passed a medical assessment in Dhaka prior to his travel to Qatar. However, he used to work outside and that his working conditions were not good. The temperature exceeded 40°C during the four days before his death. There was no restriction on outdoor work at the time, despite the extreme heat.
Sujan’s brother further told Amnesty International that his brother borrowed 300,000 Bangladeshi taka (approx. USD 3,500) so that he can pay the cost of a work visa for Qatar which was 450,000 Bangladeshi taka (USD 5,250).
Other
Not Reported (
Construction
)
- Employer
Affected
Total individuals affected:
1
Migrant & immigrant workers: (
1
- Bangladesh
, Construction
, Gender not reported
)
Issues
Deaths
,
Recruitment Fees
,
Personal Health
Response
Response sought: No
Action taken: The worker’s family received 300,000 Bangladeshi Taka (approx. USD 3,540) from the Bangladeshi Welfare Board in financial assistance and 35,000 Bangladeshi Taka (Approx. USD 413) for funeral and transportation costs.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Aug 2021
Location:
Qatar
In August 2021, Amnesty International (AI) released a report which underscores the Qatari authorities' failure to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers despite evidence of links between the migrant workers' deaths and their unsafe working conditions. The report builds on the analysis of 18 death certificates issued by the Qatari authorities as well as interviews with the families of six male workers, all of whom were between 30 and 40 years old when they died.
Among the cases recorded in the report was the case of a Nepali worker, Yam Bahadur Rana, who was working as a security guard, usually at Hamad International Airport. The report says that Yam died, while on duty in Qatar, on 22 February 2020 at the age of 34 years old. His death certificate, issued by the Qatari authorities on 1 March 2020, describes the cause of death as “acute cardiorespiratory failure due to natural causes”. No information on the underlying cause of death was provided.
The worker’s wife told AI that she never knew that he was sick and that she believes that he died because of dryness and heat caused by his working conditions, as he had to sit in the sun for a long time.
Companies
Hamad International Airport
- Client
,
Qatar Airways
- Other Value Chain Entity
Action taken: The worker’s wife filed a claim with Qatar’s consulate, but they told her that there is no compensation for death caused by a heart attack.
Over the last decade, thousands of young migrant workers have died suddenly and unexpectedly in Qatar despite passing their mandatory medical tests before travelling to the country. Yet the Qatari authorities have to date failed to properly investigate their deaths in way that would make it possible to determine the underlying causes, precluding any assessment of whether they are work-related. As a result, the workers’ bereaved families have been denied the opportunity to receive any compensation from the employer or the Qatari authorities.