Fire damaged part of a labour camp, in Naim, after three Bahraini teenagers burst in and set fire to the workers' clothes. It was the third time that they had raided the same building in one night. When the youths broke in the first time they beat up one of the workers, who required hospital treatment for his injuries. They returned half-an-hour later and stole the labourers' safety shoes. However, when they went back a third time they piled up the workers' clothes, doused the pile in kerosene and set it on fire. The labourers managed to put out the blaze, but only after it had destroyed their air-conditioner, refrigerator and carpets. "It all started when the Bahrainis barged into the labourers' residence at 10pm," said Bangladeshi mechanic Mubarak Muslim Mia, 27, who lives in the building. "They entered one of the rooms exclaiming that they are Bahrainis and have a right to be anywhere they want to be. "One of the residents asked them what they wanted, barging in so late at night, but the Bahrainis shouted at him and beat him up really bad. "We rushed him off to hospital to get treatment for cuts in his hand."
Almost 100 Indian and Bangladeshi workers live in the building. They work for various companies, but split the cost of the rent between themselves. However, they did not immediately report the matter to the police to avoid a confrontation with nearby residents. They even kept quiet when the teenagers came back 30 minutes later and stole their safety shoes. "Each shoe costs around BD7 or BD8 - this might not be much, but it is a fortune for people like us," said Mr Mia. "We did not want to go to the police right then because we thought that it would stop there. We did not want to get in trouble with people from the neighbourhood." However, half-an-hour later the culprits re-entered the building and took workers' clothes out of a cupboard before soaking them with kerosene normally used for cooking. They then set the pile on fire. "We fought to extinguish the fire, but our clothes were fully charred," said Mr Mia. "The air-conditioner, refrigerator and carpets were all lost to the flames and we immediately went to the police."
The incident happened last Tuesday, but the workers are still without air-conditioning and a refrigerator while summer temperatures hit 40C. It is understood the three youths were arrested, but have since been released from custody. "We are poor people, it is not easy for us to gather enough money to buy new equipment," said Mr Mia. "The air conditioner costs BD120, fridge BD70 and our clothes almost the same amount. "We are at the end of the month and are left with no money at all. "We do not know why these people treat us like this. We never harmed them, why would they harm us? |