As the world turns its gaze to the Paris Olympics, the story of Mohammed Zaman sheds light on the plight faced by survivors of modern slavery in the U.K. After nearly two decades of battling for his right to remain in the U.K., Zaman hopes to carry the Olympic torch, symbolizing his resilience and hard-won freedom.

Forced to overstay and work

Zaman arrived in London from Bangladesh in 2005 with a visa and a job lined up. However, his sponsor quickly turned the opportunity into a nightmare.

The BBC reports,

When Mr Zaman arrived in the UK in 2005 his sponsor forced him to work long hours for little pay.

“We worked every day, 16 or 17 hours a day, six days a week, sometimes seven days a week… Around nine to 10 people used to live in two rooms.”

He was threatened with violence, and his abusive employer used his details to take out loans in Mr Zaman’s name.

Zaman’s passport was confiscated, and he was forced to work long hours under deplorable conditions – and to overstay in the U.K.

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