Iran war sharpens the dilemmas faced by foreign workers in the Mideast

Key Points:

• Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, a Bangladeshi migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, died from severe burns after a missile struck his workers' camp amid the Middle East conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
• Millions of foreign workers in Gulf Arab states face heightened risks due to ongoing missile and drone attacks, with at least 28 foreign workers reported killed in the conflict.
• Migrant laborers, often working in hazardous conditions with limited protections, are caught between staying in the Middle East for higher wages or returning to poorer home countries suffering from inflation and economic strain.
• The conflict has disrupted key Gulf economies and remittance flows, which are vital to countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, exacerbating financial hardships for migrant workers and their families.
• Despite reforms in some Gulf states, many migrant workers remain vulnerable to exploitation, wage withholding, and unsafe working conditions, with travel and work disruptions further threatening their livelihoods.