Asia’s migrant workers are having a rough time under covid-19

THE 200-ODD Bangladeshi and Indian men engaged to build a new resort on Baa atoll in the Maldives were becoming increasingly desperate. Since covid-19 closed the island nation to tourists in March, migrant workers had been forced to work without pay. They were living in cramped, squalid conditions and were short of food, clean water, medical attention and even soap. In May they aired their grievances in a silent protest. In a confused event a while later, they briefly took a few locals hostage—apparently believing they were mobsters sent to threaten them. In July they took their protests to the capital, Malé. The authorities’ response? To brand the workers a threat to national security and deport dozens of them. They were at least able to return home.