No. of Nepalese labourers who die in foreign land increases

The number of Nepali migrant workers who lost their lives while working abroad has increased in the recent time. In first eight month of the current fiscal year, 1,255 youths lost their lives in foreign lands. This number is for those who died abroad during this period and claimed assistance from the Secretariat of the Foreign Employment Board. Besides, the number of people who lost their lives during foreign employment but did not come to receive financial assistance, is very large. Family members who lost their lives abroad during foreign employment have been receiving financial assistance of 7 lakhs each from the secretariat of the board.

 According to the statistics, five dead bodiesd arrive at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport in a closed wooden box when more than 1,900 labour permits are taken daily for foreign employment. During the last eight months of the board, the bodies of 514 Nepalis from Saudi Arabia, 333 from Malaysia, 123 from Qatar and 82 from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been brought to Nepal. The board said that 197 of these bodies were brought to Nepal at the expense of the board in coordination with the embassies of the respective countries and the non-resident Nepalese association.

In eight months of the current fiscal year, 10 million 6 lakh 35 thousand rupese have been provided as financial assistance to 333 people who are sick and disabled while working abroad. Four billion 863 million 44 thousand rupees have been provided as financial assistance to the families of 13 thousand 44 people who died while working abroad from the year 2065/66 till now.

Most of the deaths during foreign employment was caused due to the workplace accidents and road accidents. Some Nepalis have committed suicide in their room for various reasons. It has been said that the main cause of death while working in foreign country is going abroad without acquiring general skills and information. Government data shows that, 46 percent of unskilled youth go abroad from Nepal seeking foreign employment and that number is at risk.