World Cup 2022 in Qatar: ‘Our dreams never came true’ – Nepali workers open up about human rights abuse

Kamal said he was arrested while he was standing outside a shop with other migrant workers. He was kept in a Qatari jail before he was deported to southern Nepal three months ago.

Kamal says he has yet to be paid the 7,000 Qatari Riyal bonus (around £1,623) that he claims he is entitled to from his previous employers, nor 7,000 Riyal in insurance for injuring two fingers at work.

“I wasn’t told why I was being arrested. People are just standing there … some are walking with their grocery [sic], some are just sitting there consuming tobacco products … they just arrest you.

“Inside the jail, there were people from Sri Lanka, Kerala (India), Pakistan, Sudan, Nepal, African, Philippines. There were around 14-15 units. In one jail, there were around 250-300 people. Around 24-25 people per room.”

Hari left Nepal for Qatar for work and his monthly wage in the Middle Eastern nation was 700 Rial (£157) a month.

After moving to Qatar in 2014, he worked at a supermarket, a hotel and an airport.

The most difficult job, he says, was in construction when he had to carry tiles up buildings “six to seven stories above” in overbearing heat and lay pipelines in deep pits.

“It was too hot,” he said. “The foreman was very demanding and used to complain a lot. The foreman used to threaten to reduce our salaries and overtime pay.

“I had to carry tiles on my shoulder to the top. It was very difficult going up through the scaffolding. In the pipeline work, there were 5-7 meters deep pits, we had to lay the stones and concrete, it was difficult due to the heat. It was difficult to breathe. We had to come upstairs using a ladder to drink water.

“It never happened to me, but I saw some workers fainting at work. I saw one Bengali, one Nepali … two to three people faint while working. They took the Bengali to medical services. I’m not sure what happened to him.”

Sunit returned to Nepal in August after eight months in Qatar. He expected to be there for two years, but the collapse of the construction company he worked for meant he and many others returned with money still owed to them.

He struggles to find work in Nepal, meaning feeding his two children and paying school fees is difficult. He says he dreamed of watching World Cup matches from the rooftop of the hotel he helped build.

“We used to talk about it,” he says of the World Cup. “But we had to return, and our dreams never came true. The stadium activities were visible from the hotel. We could see the stadium from the hotel rooftop.”

His job, he says, was to carry bags of plaster mix and cement, weighing from 30 to 50 kilos, on his shoulders up to 10 to 12 floors. He says he had paid an agent in Nepal 240,000 Nepali rupees (around £1,550) before leaving for Qatar.

However, the health, safety and dignity of “all workers employed on our projects has remained steadfast”, a statement from the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (the SC) read.

“Our efforts have resulted in significant improvements in accommodation standards, health and safety regulations, grievance mechanisms, healthcare provision and reimbursements of illegal recruitment fees to workers.

“While the journey is ongoing, we are committed to delivering the legacy we promised. A legacy that improves lives and lays the foundation for fair, sustainable and lasting labour reforms.”