Dinesh Regmi

Amid increasing demand of Nepali workers in Gulf countries more Nepalis are being duped by manpower agencies.

The Nepali Embassy in Qatar has recently recommended action against 47 manpower agencies, asking the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Labour and Transportation Manag-ement and Foreign Labour Department not to allow them to run business. However, no action has been taken against them so far.

Among the agencies, three were again found duping Nepali workers even after they were admonished. On Monday, Santosh Kumar Mandal and Bam Bahadur Mandal filed a complaint against SOS manpower agency, which sent them to Qatar. The other under scanner are Yati Overseas Pvt Ltd and Team Force Pvt Ltd.

Five Nepali women workers on Tuesday ran away from their company and reached the embassy seeking help. They complained that they were not paid salary as agreed. Two of the women, who are desperate to return home, had came here through a manpower agency and the other through an agent.

Most of those, who are duped either by agents or manpower companies, have duplicate contract papers. “The name is of the company mentioned in the visas of the cheated workers doesn’t exit in contract papers,” said labour attaché Dhruba Prasad Koirala. “First we try to solve workers’ problems. Then only we recommend action against the erring manpower agencies,” he added.

Published on: 01 July 2011 | The Kathmandu Post