When most of us think of Dubai, we think of impressive buildings, rich and famous celebs, five-star hotels, swanky restaurants, infinity pools and huge shopping malls. However, an eye-opening clip has revealed a dark truth behind the UAE city.

There is a part of Dubai which is left out of glossy magazines, tourism guides and off influencer’s social media feeds. Dubai’s beautiful skyscrapers and stunning buildings are the result of the labour of thousands of migrant workers. These workers, predominantly from countries like Bangladesh and India, are drawn to Dubai in search of a brighter future.

Unfortunately, upon arrival, many find themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation and forced to work long hours, often up to 12 hours a day.

Migrants workers endure difficult working conditions in the outskirts of the city – forced to fit into small rooms with basic amenities. The government’s lack of intervention and regulation in terms of pay and working standards exacerbates the situation.

A man who runs Home Projects – managing the procurement and letting of properties – has shared the shocking reality of Dubai labour camps in the region of Muhaisnah – areas of the city where workers live in cramped conditions. In a TikTok video, he said: “Come with me once I explore the hidden side of Dubai that you never knew existed.”

The Home Projects owner said: “Ever wondered where labourers live in the UAE? After a long day’s work, all the labourers are getting dropped off back to their labour camps.”

He followed a man named Tanveer, who works as an AC technician, and offered to show him around the camps. Tanveer shares one room with five people which the TikTok user described as a “humble house” in his video which has raked in over one million views.

The residents share bunk beds and all their belongings are cramped into one room. The same goes for all 500 labourers who live in the block.

“That’s a total of 10,000 people living in these blocks alone – and there’s hundreds of these,” the curious TikToker said. They share communal toilets. Home Projects donated 150 boxes to the camp to help out.

He also noted: “The death rate in the construction industry [in Dubai] is very high in relation to places like the UK.”

People rushed to comment on the conditions shown in the video, as one said: “Well done for showing the real dark side of Dubai most people don’t know about because they are so dazzled or consumed by influencer stories of it. This is shameful.”

“Absolutely everyone who goes to Dubai needs to see this,” said another. One other noted: “Thanks for sharing this. So many people think Dubai is all fancy but it’s not.”

“Thank you for sharing the truth!,” added another. “All that glitters isn’t gold,” observed one other.

One other wrote: “This is very sad.. while the rich are living the high life and others living great lives, very sad they treat people like this.”

One other brutally put: “Dubai has been built on the blood of poor labourers. The riches and glittery extravagance that the leadership of the country are after, have blinded them of basic humanity.”

What is being done to help?

Human rights group Walk Free, which aims to eradicate modern slavery, said that the system in the UAE embeds a steep power imbalance by granting employers control over their employees’ lives. However, they note that the UAE is among countries taking the most action to address modern slavery in comparison to other countries in the region.

They said: “Since the 2018 Global Slavery Index, the government has implemented reforms to increase labour protections and remove elements of the kafala system, although these reforms have been insufficient to dismantle the system entirely. Opportunities for further action include strengthening protections for migrant workers, addressing forced and child marriage, and eradicating modern slavery from the economy.”

Workers can seek assistance for any labour-related grievances. For more information visit the United Arab Emirates’ Government portal.