By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Over 21,000 migrant workers have died in eight years working on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 project, according to an ITV documentary. Some workers have reported feeling like “trapped slaves,” citing human rights abuses such as alleged unpaid wages and illegal work hours. Human rights groups have raised concerns about exploitation of migrant workers and potential displacement of locals. The documentary highlighted the effects of long work hours, insufficient food, lack of rest, and stressful conditions on the workers’ health. ITV’s figures indicate that many of the deceased were from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
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21,000 workers dead in the pursuit of Mohammed bin Salman’s ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ feels like a grotesque statistic that barely scratches the surface of a much deeper, more insidious truth. This number is shocking, but when I allow myself to reflect on the grim reality behind it, it becomes even more disturbing. It’s not merely a number; it represents thousands of lives extinguished amidst a backdrop of immense greed and exploitation. The idea that these individuals, predominantly migrant laborers seeking a better life, are viewed as collateral damage in the grand scheme of a ruler’s vision is infuriating and heartbreaking.
The conditions under which these workers are employed can hardly be classified as labor; they are more akin to modern-day slavery. The stark reality is that these workers are often subjected to catastrophic working conditions. The phrase “7 dead a day” echoes in my mind, a daily reminder of the human cost of ambition and vanity projects. If we consider this figure, we face the harrowing truth that entire lives are being sacrificed on the altar of economic progress that should be serving humanity rather than devouring it. The horrors of this statistic overshadow any of the accolades associated with mega-projects like NEOM.
In a nation that possesses vast wealth due to its oil reserves, the dire treatment of these laborers is appalling and entirely avoidable. It seems that instead of directing resources toward improving human rights, care, and dignity, there is a fixation on building pyramids of glass and steel that will eventually stand as cold monuments to hubris. Mohammed bin Salman, in his quest for relevance on the world stage, appears to be embracing a philosophy that dehumanizes those who help to realize his lofty dreams. The projected image of modernity and innovation cannot mask the medieval brutality underlying these endeavors. I cannot help but feel a sense of moral outrage at what appears to be a complete disregard for human life.
The irony is thick; while the world watches the glittering façade of Saudi investments in high-profile events like FIFA’s World Cup, hundreds of thousands continue to suffer in silence. The staggering figure of 100,000 missing workers hints at a horrifying reality—bodies that have disappeared amidst bureaucratic red tape and an absence of accountability. This brutal calculation plays out behind closed doors, where lives are expendable, and only the grand vision remains paramount. The construction sites aren’t simply laden with materials; they are graveyards for dreams unrealized and lives unlived.
Each new project inaugurated under this vision represents a further degradation of morality, as humanity continues to inch further away from valuing human life. It is deeply troubling to think that 21,000 people have perished while chasing the flickering dream of prosperity for someone else—this isn’t progress, it’s barbarism cloaked in modern ambition. The overwhelming silence from the international community, which reaffirms complicity, speaks volumes about our collective priorities. Many choose to ignore the blood tainting the foundations of progress while sipping lattes in lavish resorts, disconnected from reality.
The term “sacrifice” has been twisted and repurposed by those in power, masking the abhorrent truth of exploitation and oppression as if there were nobility in suffering for the dreams of the elite. It feels suffocating to acknowledge that the lives lost in this way are branded mere losses in a calculated game. Such a cavalier attitude toward human life gnaws at the conscience of anyone aware of these statistics. As a society, we must demand better—not just from those in power but from our own willingness to hold them accountable.
Saudis continue to be perceived as rulers with god complexes, often rewarding themselves and their inner circles at the cost of actual human lives. The price of modernization and grand projects is laid bare before us, and yet discussions around these tragic human costs are often brushed aside as political posturing. The truth remains that progress, when steeped in blood, cannot rightly be called progress at all. As the sands shift beneath both the workers and the grand ambitions of the kingdom, I find myself grappling with a deep sense of hopelessness and despair for those whose lives are extinguished without dignity or remembrance. The harsh realities of these statistics choke me, a reminder that what glitters is deeply stained, a cruel echo of lives lost in the name of ambition.