Reports suggest that approximately 21,000 workers have died while working on Saudi Arabia’s ambitious megaproject, The Line, part of the NEOM futuristic city. Concerns over labor practices and human rights violations in the project persist.
A recent British ITV documentary claims that these deaths occurred over the eight years since construction began, averaging more than eight fatalities daily. Additionally, around 100,000 workers have reportedly gone missing while working on NEOM megaprojects.
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Most of the affected workers are migrants from countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. They allegedly face harsh conditions, including long hours, wage theft, and frequent human rights abuses. Some workers described their experience as feeling like “trapped slaves” or “beggars.”
The documentary highlights the story of a Nepalese worker, Raju Bishwakarma, who contacted his family for help, claiming his employer would release him only after he paid five months’ salary. He was later found dead.
Nepal’s foreign employment board has reported 650 unexplained deaths of Nepali workers on NEOM projects.
The Saudi government denies these allegations, labeling the figures as “misinformation” without credible sources. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health states that Saudi Arabia’s work-related fatality rate is 1.12 per 100,000 workers, placing it among the lowest globally.
It also highlights improvements in occupational safety and health recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), alongside laws ensuring health insurance and regulating work hours to protect workers from extreme heat and hazardous conditions.
