The exploitation of Bangladeshi beach vendors in Italy

2023-08-21

MONDELLO - Every year millions of European tourists crowd Italy's diverse beaches, visiting ancient seaside towns and bathing in the Mediterranean Sea’s warm, azure waters. But while some enjoy themselves among the colourful parasols and picture-perfect scenery, others are fighting for survival.

In Sicily, we have found a prime example of this exploitation in Mondello, the Italian island’s most popular beach. Bangladeshi vendors sell sarongs, beer, jewellery, towels and corn on the cob.

These vendors must toil long hours in the scorching sun for little pay. They are amongst thousands of other migrants working in the summer months, usually June to September, on Italy's beaches.

Beach vendors are maligned for their persistence, but they have no choice as they have no other means of income.

What little money the vendors make, they are often forced to remit home to pay the traffickers that smuggled them over borders on their dangerous journey to Europe.

Team members

Ismail Einashe

Ismail Einashe is an award-winning journalist and writer.

Kate Stanworth

Kate Stanworth is an award-winning photographer based in London.

Muhammad Owasim Uddin Bhuyan

Muhammad Owasim Uddin Bhuyan is an award-winning journalist from Bangladesh.

Mentor

Pramod Acharya

Pramod Acharya is an award-winning Nepali investigative journalist and documentary producer.

Aiganysh Aidarbekova

Aiganysh Aidarbekova is an OSINT researcher and trainer from Kyrgyzstan.

Supported

€15.350 allocated on 17/03/2023

MSU/2023/056

Grant

Modern Slavery Unveiled

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