Now, the coronavirus pandemic has made matters worse, as migrants in Gulf states have found themselves locked down in cramped, unsanitary dorms, deprived of income and unable to return home because of travel restrictions. But the sheer numbers and diversity of migrants in Persian Gulf countries mean that damage to their health and finances will echo across continents. As the virus has spread, Gulf countries have imposed lockdowns and other restrictions aimed at limiting contagion that have dramatically slowed their economies. While such changes are to be done by mutual agreement, labour advocates say workers have little real leverage against their employers. But workers say the policies are not always applied on the ground.

Source: bd News24 April 14, 2020 03:45 UTC