Migrant dreams turned to ashes

We are deeply disturbed by the news of a devastating fire at a furniture factory in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the deaths of nine Bangladeshi workers. The incident occurred on Friday, about 350 kilometres off the Saudi capital Riyadh. According to survivors, there were 14 Bangladeshi workers in the factory. Most were sleeping in the upper floor of the factory building after lunch when the fire broke out, quickly engulfing the surrounding area. One of the victims was Mohammad Obaidul, 34, hailing from Natore, who went to Saudi Arabia in 2019 to support his family back home. While talking to this daily, his grieving mother described how he talked to her earlier in the day, and discussed plans of marriage after returning home, a dream that will remain unfulfilled.

The stories of all the victims are similar in that they all had migrated with the hope of building a better life. Workers like them, doing mostly menial jobs, are the engines that drive many industries in the Middle East. You see them in construction, hotels and restaurants, agriculture, healthcare, cleaning, caregiving, etc. Their economic aspirations, however, are often met with risks and challenges on the ground, especially in industries where they are exposed to hazardous conditions with little regard for their safety. As well as physical harm, they are also exposed to risks of abuse and exploitations because of the nature of their contracts.

But incidents like the factory fire in Al Hofuf are a reminder that a tragedy is never far away in such a climate. We don't know yet what caused the fire. Hopefully, the Saudi authorities will thoroughly investigate it and hold factory owners accountable for their negligence, if any. It is crucial to ensure that all such factories and workplaces adhere to stringent safety standards. Additionally, measures must be taken to expedite the repatriation of the deceased workers' bodies. The responsibility for Bangladesh goes beyond paying compensations to the families of the victims, which we hope will be done promptly through the Wage Earners' Welfare Fund. The government, however, must do more to prevent such tragedies as well as ensure the welfare of migrants.

There is a lot that remains to be done, and a crucial aspect of it is to ensure that workers are aware of their rights and enabled to seek speedy redressal in case of any problem. For that, there must be proper grievance mechanisms that allow workers to voice their concerns without jeopardising their livelihoods. To that end, the government must collaborate closely with the governments of all recruiting countries. They must try harder to ensure proper implementation of their labour laws and regulations.