In last one year alone 11 youths from Bhojpur died in golf countries. 

Rudra Prasad Dhakal and his wife were never as excited about Dashain as for the upcoming one. Their only son Ramesh who had left for Malaysia nearly three years ago was planning to come home for the festival. Even happier was Ramesh´s wife Menuka. 

"I am sending Rs 25,000. You keep Rs 10,000 for yourself and give the rest to my parents. I am coming home for Dashain." This was what Ramesh had told Menuka over a brief chat on the phone in early August. But family´s happiness was soon to evaporate because Ramesh died in Malaysia on August 25. Rudra Prasad received his son´s body 12 days later at the Tribhuvan International Airport. 

While the death of the sole breadwinner of the family had already left the family devastated, the process of recovering the body was no less a hassle. Rudra Prasad does not even want to talk about what he went through to get the body of his son. "First we lost our son, and then the proces of receiving the body was even more painful," said the father. The family cremated the body at Pashupati Aryaghat last week. Now the elderly parents face the burden of paying back the loan that Ramesh had taken for flying to Malaysia. 

The lack of jobs at home forces over 500,000 Nepali youths to the Gulf and Malaysia among other countries each year and many of them die in the course of their jobs. According to government figures, in the last one year, Bhojpur district alone lost 11 of its youths in the Gulf. Every day, Nepali families receive at least two bodies at Kathmandu airport. According to the District Administration Office of Bhojpur, 7,669 youths from the district had acquired passports last year and the number is likely to exceed this year. 

"He was very excited about flying to Malaysia. He said he would earn enough money to pay back the loan and lead a happy life," said Rudra Prasad. 

The family said that Ramesh had taken a high-interest loan. His widow Menuka said she does not know how to continue with her life ahead. While she is in deep shock these days, the toddler daughter is unable to understand the condition of the mother. "Why were we left alive to see this day? Poverty is sin," said Rudra Prasad while holding the granddaughter in his lap. 

Published on: 15 September 2014 | Republica