"I think he had a heart attack because he was dehydrated"

Yam Bahadur Rana died of heart failure in Qatar on February 22, 2020. He was 34 years old and a father of two. According to Amnesty International, it says on his death certificate that he died of ”acute heart failure based on natural causes” but there are no specifics.

In the report “Qatar: Failure to investigate migrant worker deaths leaves families in despair” Yams wife says he worked with security at the Hamad International Airport. He and his wife, Bhumisara Rana, spoke every day.

“He worked the day he died but nobody could drive him to a hospital when had his heart attack,” she told Amnesty International.

She is convinced that his death is related to the working conditions.

“He had to sit outside in the sun for long periods of time. I think the heart attack was caused by dehydration. I never heard him say that he felt sick and he was very particular about eating well.”

Bhumisara has received some compensation from the Nepali government but nothing from Qatar, even though he died on the job. She is fighting for pay from the employer.

“Since I became a widow I receive $16 US per month from the Nepali government. Some times I can get day labor work in the fields or at some road construction,” she says. “That’s the only way to make ends meet.”

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