5 Nepalis in Qatar denied promised work, pay

Published On: January 13, 2018 08:23 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KHOTANG, Jan 13: Five Nepalis, including two from Khotang, have been stuck in Qatar after not getting salary and work as per the agreement under which they reached the country for job. 

Arun Rai and Dhan Kumar Rai of Khotang Rural Municipality-9 Lichkiramche, Bham Bahadur Magar of Nawalparasi, Dip Bahadur Rayamajhi of Udayapur, and Nanda Singh Saud of Tikapur, Kailali had reached Qatar for work one and a half months ago.

Arun and Dhan Kumar had gone to the country to work at Qatar Satellite International Company as tile masons. They had paid Rs 75,000 each to Progressive Manpower agency in Nepal to get the job. The issue about five youths stuck in Qatar has come out after the Rai duo sought for help when they did not get salary in the company. 

Relatives of the victims lament that they have been kept in Qatar without salary as the company has gone bankrupt. The other three workers also reached Qatar along with the Rai duo through the same agent, Progressive Manpower.

The information and consultation center of Safer Migration Project (SaMi) at Diktel has said that the five workers have been withheld by their companies saying that they would be employed soon. 

“The Rai duo had phoned us asking for help to return to Nepal,” said Ambika Dahal, consultant of SaMi at Diktel. “The company has filed for bankruptcy. It has withheld them stating that they would be employed after the company gets work contracts.”

The workers have been kept at the company in a condition that their accommodation and meals expenses of the workers shall be deducted from their salary after they get the work. According to officials of SaMi, the process of repatriating the workers has become tedious since copies of their documents used while going for foreign employment are not available. In coordination with People’s Forum, the consultation center is preparing to file an application at Department of Foreign Employment.

Company gave 500 Riyals, broker took away 300
The workers have complained that Shyam Shrestha from Progressive Manpower, who had gone Qatar to solve the issue, returned taking money from the helpless workers. The 500 Riyals allocated by the company for each of the five workers for meals has not reached them, said the workers. The SaMi information and consultation center has said that the workers reported receiving only 200 Riyals despite their demand of 500 Riyals through the representative of the manpower.


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