A Bahraini managing director has been jailed for six months after a court found that his negligence led to the death of a Bangladeshi worker who plunged around 20 metres from a rooftop at a construction site in Adliya.
The High Criminal Court ruled that the 50-year-old defendant failed to enforce basic workplace safety measures, resulting in the fatal fall of 49-year-old labourer Anwar Golzar.
The incident occurred on March 28, 2025, when the victim from Salmabad was performing his duties at a construction site near a restaurant.
He was working on a roof and the court heard proper safety measures should have been put in place. The defendant was responsible for ensuring that all labourers were aware of workplace safety requirements, to provide adequate training, and to ensure the worksite was safe for everyone.
Court reports stated that the Bahraini neglected his duty, and that Mr Golzar lost his balance and fell down towards an open space beside the worksite. He plunged to his death because he was not wearing a harness and there was nothing else in place to break his fall.
Medical reports suggest that he fell head-first and died due to injuries he suffered at the scene.
A blood and urine test was conducted, which later confirmed that the victim was not under the influence of alcohol, drugs or psychedelic substances at the time of the incident.
Further investigations from the authorities, in co-operation with the Labour Ministry, later confirmed that Mr Golzar died because of the lack of proper safety procedures in place on the site.
The case was referred to the High Criminal Court for trial. Three witnesses were called to testify, including an expatriate, whose age and nationality were not mentioned. He stated that on March 28 last year, he left his house in Adliya at 11.30am and saw the victim lying on the ground on his back.
He immediately notified the authorities at the Umm Al Hassam Police Station and a patrol car was dispatched to the scene.
Another witness, a Bahraini co-worker of Mr Golzar, told judges that he was gathering all labourers and collecting tools as they were ready to conclude work on site. When Mr Golzar failed to arrive, he went in search of him and was surprised to discover, along with other labourers, that the victim had fallen to his death.
The third witness, a Bahraini safety engineer, went to the site the next day to survey the area. He told the judges that Mr Golzar’s death was caused by a roof fall from about 20 metres high after the victim had lost his balance, and it was down to the lack of safety equipment, such as a harness, which could have prevented the tragedy.
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