Om Astha Rai

Partially relaxing the ban on its citizens´ entry into politically unrest Gulf countries, the government on Wednesday decided to allow those migrant workers who got stuck in Nepal after coming home on leave to return to Bahrain and Oman to join their companies. “The decision is meant for only those workers who came to Nepal on leave,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, spokesperson  for the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM). “Not those who are willing go to there first time.” In the wake of the Arab uprisings, the MoLTM had imposed a temporary ban on Nepali workers´ entry into Bahrain, Oman and Libya. Though the government is in no mood to lift the ban on Libya for the time being as situation continues to remain violent there, Nepali foreign employment agencies have been pressing lately for lifting the ban on Bahrain and Oman.

Foreign employment agencies say some 300 Nepali workers have remained stranded in Kathmandu for the last two months after they came home on brief holidays from Bahrain and Oman.

“Many of them were unaware of the ban. They learnt about it only when immigration officials returned them from the airport,” said Tanka Basnet, immediate past president of Nepali Club of Bahrain. “Some 15 workers contacted me for help. They were fearful of losing their jobs if they failed to return to their companies in time,” Basnet, who is now in Kathmandu to persuade Nepali officials to revoke the ban, said. “However, aspiring workers still do not have a reason to celebrate.”

As Nepal does not have an embassy in Bahrain, the government assesses the situation in the country through the information provided by the Nepali club. According to Basnet, the club recently wrote to the Nepali Embassy in Saudi Arabia that migrant workers no longer face any risk in Bahrain. However, the MoLTM appears reluctant to fully lift the ban as a state of emergency continues there. The MoLTM officials fear fresh protests in Bahrain once the emergency is lifted, putting lives of Nepali workers in danger.

However, more than 1,000 workers who have got visas to work, including those for the first time, fear they would lose their job opportunities. General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) Kumud Khanal said that the foreign workers recruiting agencies of Bahrain have warned they will exert pressure on their government to impose a complete ban on Nepali workers if MoLTM failed to make a positive decision within a few days. “The MoLTM must think about it at the earliest,” he said.

India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have already lifted bans on their workers´ entry into Bahrain. “Recruiting agencies say why Nepal cannot lift ban when other countries have already started sending their workers,” said Khanal.

Two Nepali drivers killed in accident
Two Nepali drivers hired by Regional Gate Company of Kuwait died on Wednesday in a road mishap, said the Nepali embassy in Kuwait.
According to the embassy, the dead have been identified as Hiramani Chaudhari and Shekhar Shrestha.

While Shrestha´s address is not confirmed, Chaudhari is a resident of Chitwan. The two died after the trucks they were driving collided with each other in the Kuwaiti city of Sabiya. They lost control during a dust storm that disrupted normal life in Kuwait throughout Wednesday.

The Regional Gate was in news recently after 60 Nepali drivers hired by the company revolted demanding work visas and driving licenses. The company had brought in some 100 Nepali workers on visit visas. While 60 workers revolted, others continued to work for the company.

Published on: 14 April 2011 | Republica