Bangladesh, Nov. 20 -- Saudi Arabias Riyadh Metro was envisioned as a symbol of progress-an ultramodern, 176-kilometer transit network designed to transform mobility in the Gulfs largest economy. For the kingdoms leadership, the decade-long project represented not just a transportation milestone, but a showcase of the countrys ambition, modernization, and readiness for global investment. Yet beneath the shining steel and concrete, Amnesty Internationals latest investigation exposes a far darker reality: the suffering of thousands of migrant laborers whose work made the project possible.

According to the 42-page report, workers from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal-recruited under the heavily criticized Kafala labor system-faced exploitative ...