Thousands of migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Read their stories.

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Since Qatar was awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup, thousands of migrant workers have died. In search for answers, journalism platform Blankspot collected stories directly from their families. We then created Cards of Qatar – a catalogue of football cards that instead of facts about players tell the stories of the workers who never returned.

Read their stories and long form articles highlighting the reality of the situation for the migrant workers who built Qatar. Read more

THE CARDS


Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Mohammad Kaochar Khan

1983—2017
Years
of
Age
34
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Mohammad Kaochar Khan

1983—2017
The Bangladeshi migrant worker Mohammad Kaochar Khan was fond dead in his bed on November 15, 2017 at the age of 34. In his death certificate as well as the certificate from the Bangladesh embassy in Qatar it says that his cause of death was “acute respiratory failure due to natural cause”. “His plan for migrating to Qatar was to collect a good amount of money so that he could educate his son and build a mansion”, says his younger brother Didarul Islam Khan who works for the government.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Monir Hossain

1988—2020
Years
of
Age
32
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Monir Hossain

1988—2020
Monir Hossain died on April 16, 2020 in Qatar due to an electric shock. He had worked for three years for a company as a painter. The 28-year-old widow Fatima Begum says that she has now moved in with her dead husband's parents. - I am worried how I can afford to pay for my children's education, she says. The entire family in the Cumilla district of southeastern Bangladesh is now having a difficult time. - The official explanation is that it was an “accident” but they do not have any further details. The family now gets help from the neighbors to cope with the daily expenses.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Yam Bahadur Rana

1986—2020
Years
of
Age
34
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Yam Bahadur Rana

1986—2020
Yam Bahadur Rana from Nepal died in Qatar on February 22, 2020, at the age of 34. He was married and had two children: a daughter who was 11 and a son who was 13 years old. The death certificate states the cause as “acute heart failure due to natural causes”. Yam worked as a security guard at Hamad International Airport. His wife Bhumisara Rana tells Amnesty International that she believes his death has to do with the working conditions. – He had to sit out under the sun for long periods. I think he had a heart attack because he was dehydrated. He never said he was sick, she tells Amnesty.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Subodha Mishra

1978—2013
Years
of
Age
35
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Subodha Mishra

1978—2013
Subodha Mishra made his first trip to Qatar at the age of 18. From then until his death in 2013, he spent only a few months in his home village of Bhramarpura. - He first went there because the family needed to eat, then to be able to build a house, then to be able to pay for our education, says his nephew Arun Kumar Mishra. The details of the death are unclear. Grief is mixed with unanswered questions. - The company says that it was an accident, that a truck backed into him. But we are not sure, says Manda Devi Mishra.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Madhu Bollapally

1976—2019
Years
of
Age
43
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Madhu Bollapally

1976—2019
On November 18, 2019, Latha Bollapally received a call from Qatar. Her husband had had a heart attack the night before in his room. Ten days after his death, the body arrived at the village. He worked abroad for 12 years. - He never said anything about his salary or about the working conditions or how he lived. When he died, we received one thousand Indian rupees as compensation, says Brother Rajesh. The family knows very little about his life in Qatar. - He lived alone, cooked all his food by himself and when some relatives wanted to make contact with him, he distanced himself from them.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Phurparani Tamang

1996—2021
Years
of
Age
25
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Phurparani Tamang

1996—2021
After a mandatory medical examination, Phurparani Tamang was considered completely healthy and received her work visa. – Once in Qatar, she got a job as a cleaner, which she was happy with because she did not have to work outside in the sun, says her mother. One day she was taken to the hospital. – She told us there was no reason to worry. But a few days later I learned that she had died. I just cannot believe she's gone. Her body landed at Kathmandu airport just four days after she died and her mother traveled there to receive it. – Our daughter who went to support her family, left full of life, and came home dead.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com

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