Flexi-Visa Electrician Wins Unpaid Wages Case Against Construction Company
Bahrain’s Lower Civil Court ordered a construction company to pay a Bangladeshi electrician unpaid wages and case-related expenses after the worker proved he had provided services despite having no formal contract or company sponsorship.
— 18 مايو, 2026 04:00:00 ص — 16 views
MANAMA, BAHRAIN — A flexi-visa electrician has won an unpaid wages case against a construction company before Bahrain’s Lower Civil Court.
According to the Gulf Daily News report, the claimant was a 48-year-old Bangladeshi expatriate who worked as an electrician for the company for three months, from August to October 2024. The report states that he worked without a formal contract and was not sponsored by the company.
The worker, represented by lawyer Manal Dhahi, brought the case after unsuccessfully seeking payment of his wages.
Reported Court Award
The Lower Civil Court ordered the company to pay the claimant BD718.500 in unpaid wages.
The company was also ordered to pay case-related expenses, including:
- BD5 for translation fees;
- BD20 for attorney fees;
- BD49 for the cost of the lawsuit; and
- BD10 in court fees.
The court rejected the lawsuit against the Bangladeshi owner of the company personally, ordering only the company to compensate the electrician.
Basis of the wage claim
The Gulf Daily News reported that the electrician was paid at an hourly rate of BD1, working six days a week for 10 hours a day.
The unpaid wages were reported as:
- BD239.500 for August 2024;
- BD232.500 for September 2024; and
- BD246.500 for October 2024.
The report states that the claimant worked more than 718 hours in total.
Evidence Before the Court
The company reportedly denied having a working relationship with the claimant, arguing that it had not sponsored his visa.
Lawyer Manal Dhahi told the Gulf Daily News that the claimant’s side was able to prove that he had worked with the defendant company. The report states that punch cards for each of the three months were presented as evidence.
A colleague of the worker also gave evidence, stating that the claimant had worked as an electrician and had not been paid. A defence witness, who was responsible for transporting workers, claimed that he only transported the claimant to the site in August and not during the following two months.
Lawyer's Comment
The Gulf Daily News quoted lawyer Manal Dhahi as saying that many flexi-visa labourers face similar problems when employers or contractors rely on the absence of a formal work relationship to avoid paying wages.
This attribution is taken from the published report and should not be expanded beyond what the source confirms.
Why This Decision Matters
This case highlights that the absence of sponsorship or a written employment contract does not automatically prevent a worker from proving that services were provided and payment is due.
For workers, records such as punch cards, attendance documents, witness evidence and payment calculations can be important when bringing a claim for unpaid wages.
For companies, the case underlines the importance of clear contracting, accurate worker records and proper payment practices when engaging labour, including workers who are not under the company’s sponsorship.
Read the full column at this link from https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1395005/Flexi-visa-worker-wins-wages-suit