DT: Intervention from the Indian Embassy helped an abused expatriate worker to receive his dues from his employer and return home.
DT had earlier reported the case of the 20 –year-old worker Mubarak Ali, who had alleged that his employer used to beat him. He had also said that he was paid his wages only in the first two months.
Mr Ali worked for a khuboos bakery located in Budaiya. His employer, an Indian national, had rented a Commercial Registration from a Bahraini and was managing the bakery.
Since his arrival to Bahrain around October 2010, the employer constantly abused the worker verbally and physically. The employer made threats too saying no organisation would touch him, as he was influential, Mr. Ali added.
Nearly a month ago, on May 19, a frustrated Mr Ali ran away from the bakery. “I could not take the abuse anymore. I decided to go and ask for help from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority,” the worker told DT.
LMRA advised him to approach the Labour Ministry. Armed with only the knowledge that the ministry was located in Isa Town, he set out on foot to complain. He lost his way.
Unsure of where he was, Mr. Ali said he spent the night outside in a park. The next morning he approached a cold store in the area and told them about his plight. The shopkeeper contacted a media person who took Mr Ali to the embassy.
The worker told embassy officials of his ordeal and begged them to get him out of his predicament. When the embassy contacted the employer and informed him about the allegations, he denied abusing Mr Ali. However, he acknowledged that he owed him his wages.
Last week, the employer handed over an air ticket and BD200 to Mr Ali as settlement. The actual amount due was BD350 (equalling five months’ wages at BD70 per month). BD 150 was deducted from the total to pay for the ticket cost and visa cost incurred by the employer, Mr Ali told DT.
“I had thought I was trapped and would never be able to get out. I thank the Indian embassy and the people who provided shelter in the days after I lodged my complaint. Without their help, I don’t know what would have become of me,” a tearful Mr Ali told DT as he packed his bags to head for home.
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