Labor Housing Conditions in Doha, Qatar
A Walk in the Shoes of Reality
Small, cramped, run down, leaks, cracks, old, and poor. When a place like this is described, many things come to mind. Whether it is the unemployed, people who have low salaries, or people who couldn’t afford any better, the laborers of Doha fit this criteria.
Laborers are often associated with the numerous construction sites we see on the roads on our way to school or work. They are dominantly Indian, Pakistani, Nepali or Bangladeshi men, performing difficult manual labor. This is often visual, as it is common to look out the window of your car and see laborers at work as you drive by Qatar Decoration Round-a-bout. What isn’t visual, however, and what isn’t often spoken about or brought to the attention of the public is what these workers go home to. Do they have a home? Where do they live? How do they live? As many of these workers come to Qatar for better living conditions and pay, it is large and established companies that take them under their sponsorship and are then responsible for their working hours, salaries, housing, etc. Al Bashair Trading and Servicing Company is among the largest and most established companies in Qatar. They have established their works in the fields of trading, transporting and servicing. Well-established companies such as Al Bashair require a mass workforce, and this is where the laborers play a pivotal role. An interview with Mr. Ahammed Iqbal, manager of the Sales department of Al Bashair services was conducted on site of the housing of a small portion of their laborers. Their house was the size of about a 3 or 4 person villa, located in the Industrial Area. Despite the 3 -4 person capacity, 7 laborers were living under this roof. The rent due every month is 3,000 riyals. Luckily, the laborers themselves don’t pay this rent, as they are only given a starting salary of 500 QR per month. Each laborer, based on his performance, receives a 200 QR bonus per month, apart from the starting salary. They are also given 300 QR worth for food, water, and other basic necessities. When asked about water and electricity, Mr. Iqbal stated that they do receive clean running water and electricity, and share the bills with the neighboring villa. These laborers work 9 tiring hours everyday of the week, with some Saturdays off. With an interpreter, we were able to ask a laborer about his work and how he breaks down his salary. Despite the slight language barrier, we were able to understand that a majority of his salary is actually sent back home to Bangladesh. His statement translated into “I send money back to Bangladesh, and keep the rest of the amount for myself.” This statement is, in essence, deceiving. While people might think it’s sufficient to send money to family as well as save money, they are often not aware of how minimal this salary is. Not only is it a minimal salary, but also according to Mr. Iqbal, “They only receive a vacation once every 2 years.”
While all of us, including students, teachers, and the general public are wrapped up in our own lives, it is sometimes necessary to take a step back. Because while I was in this small, cramped, run down, old, poor house, I felt responsible for learning about how these laborers live. And while I stood there with pen and paper in hand, and while water dripped down onto on my head from the leak in the ceiling, I took a step back from my life and put myself in the shoes of the laborers that sleep and wake up to the same lifestyle- year in and year out.
Small, cramped, run down, leaks, cracks, old, and poor. When a place like this is described, many things come to mind. Whether it is the unemployed, people who have low salaries, or people who couldn’t afford any better, the laborers of Doha fit this criteria.
Laborers are often associated with the numerous construction sites we see on the roads on our way to school or work. They are dominantly Indian, Pakistani, Nepali or Bangladeshi men, performing difficult manual labor. This is often visual, as it is common to look out the window of your car and see laborers at work as you drive by Qatar Decoration Round-a-bout. What isn’t visual, however, and what isn’t often spoken about or brought to the attention of the public is what these workers go home to. Do they have a home? Where do they live? How do they live? As many of these workers come to Qatar for better living conditions and pay, it is large and established companies that take them under their sponsorship and are then responsible for their working hours, salaries, housing, etc. Al Bashair Trading and Servicing Company is among the largest and most established companies in Qatar. They have established their works in the fields of trading, transporting and servicing. Well-established companies such as Al Bashair require a mass workforce, and this is where the laborers play a pivotal role. An interview with Mr. Ahammed Iqbal, manager of the Sales department of Al Bashair services was conducted on site of the housing of a small portion of their laborers. Their house was the size of about a 3 or 4 person villa, located in the Industrial Area. Despite the 3 -4 person capacity, 7 laborers were living under this roof. The rent due every month is 3,000 riyals. Luckily, the laborers themselves don’t pay this rent, as they are only given a starting salary of 500 QR per month. Each laborer, based on his performance, receives a 200 QR bonus per month, apart from the starting salary. They are also given 300 QR worth for food, water, and other basic necessities. When asked about water and electricity, Mr. Iqbal stated that they do receive clean running water and electricity, and share the bills with the neighboring villa. These laborers work 9 tiring hours everyday of the week, with some Saturdays off. With an interpreter, we were able to ask a laborer about his work and how he breaks down his salary. Despite the slight language barrier, we were able to understand that a majority of his salary is actually sent back home to Bangladesh. His statement translated into “I send money back to Bangladesh, and keep the rest of the amount for myself.” This statement is, in essence, deceiving. While people might think it’s sufficient to send money to family as well as save money, they are often not aware of how minimal this salary is. Not only is it a minimal salary, but also according to Mr. Iqbal, “They only receive a vacation once every 2 years.”
While all of us, including students, teachers, and the general public are wrapped up in our own lives, it is sometimes necessary to take a step back. Because while I was in this small, cramped, run down, old, poor house, I felt responsible for learning about how these laborers live. And while I stood there with pen and paper in hand, and while water dripped down onto on my head from the leak in the ceiling, I took a step back from my life and put myself in the shoes of the laborers that sleep and wake up to the same lifestyle- year in and year out.
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