Compensation for workplace death in Qatar remains elusive to migrant worker’s family

Bangladeshi migrant Mohammad Hamidul Malita, 41, died in a workplace accident in Qatar more than two years ago.

He succumbed to ‘severe head injuries after falling from height in Doha on February 7, 2019, according to his death certificate issued by Qatari Public Health Department.

During his death, he had been working as a carpenter employed by QD-SBG CONSTRUCTION, a construction firm.

Hamidul, son of Md Doud Malita living in Alamdanga Upazila’s  Borgangni village in Chuadanga district, had migrated to Qatar in December 2016 after spending Tk 3,50,000 (USD4,131).

A large part of his migration cost was borrowed from his relatives.

“Hamidul sent money irregularly back home,” his 35-year old wife Najma Begum told Business Insider Bangladesh.

The workplace death of his husband pushed Najma, her son, and her daughter into abject poverty, as Hamidul was the lone bread earner of the family. 

“We are now leading our lives cultivating the land of other people. My 15-year-old son is now studying in class IX. He works with me to grow crops on the land. My 17-year old daughter is a candidate for a secondary school certificate (SSC),” she said.

The family received a financial grant of Tk 3.15 lakh from the Bangladesh government and Qatari riyal of 4,402 from Qatar as due wages of Hamidul.

“With this money, I have been able to lease 2.5 bighas of land. We are now growing rice and maize on this leased land.  The crops we grow are the main source of income for bearing the cost of family and tuition fees for my children,” she said.

Asked about compensations or insurance, Nazma Akter said that they sent documents to the Bangladesh Embassy in Doha more than two years ago through officials of the Wage Earners Welfare Board.

“But we have been waiting for 30 months but yet to get any response,” she said, claiming that “My husband died on spot falling from the building’s top while he was on duty.”

No-Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by Bangladesh Embassy in Doha and Death certificate issued by Qatari Authorities mentioned Hamidul’s date of death was “7th February 2019” and cause of death as “severe head injuries due to the fall from height.”

The documents, however, did not mention if the family gets compensation or insurance not.

About the updated status of the case Bangladesh Embassy’s Labour Counselor Mustafizur Rahman, took two days to check the documents.

As approached on Sunday, the labour counselor said that “We are going to meet the law firm soon on this issue. Please wait until then.”

Asked if the family gets insurance or compensation as two years passed, he further said that “After discussion with the law firm, I’ll update everything.”

Meanwhile, migration expert and Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit founding Chairman Dr Tasneem Siddiqui said, “The issues of death compensation of Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad remained “disorganised.”

She said that if the claims were not properly made in the right time, the victims and their families might get deprived of their dues.

Professor Tasneem Siddiqui of political science at Dhaka University said that the labour officials of the Bangladesh Embassy abroad should be held more accountable to claim compensation timely.

More than 1,000 Bangladeshi workers have died in Qatar since 2009, according to the Wage Earners Welfare Board.

Wage Earners’ Welfare Board (WEWB) under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has brought back the dead bodies of Bangladeshi migrants who died in Qatar.

From Qatar, 164 dead bodies of Bangladeshis were flown back in 2020, 93 in 2019, 123 in 2018, 102 in 2017, 113 in 2016, 91 in 2015, 84 in 2014, 52 in 2013, 51 in 2012, 60 in 2011, 47 in 2010 and 51 2009, according to the WEWB .

On arrival of the dead bodies, the welfare board provided Tk 35,000 to each victim's family at the airport to bear transport and funeral costs.

Later, it also provided the family of each victim a financial grant of Tk 3 lakh.