Four Nepali migrants, who landed in Qatar on ‘free visas’, have been left in the lurch after their agent took to his heels before providing them with jobs as per an agreement reached beforehand.

The victims—Dorik Shah, Pramod Kumar Shah, Bibek Prasad Shah and Ramdayal Shah—said that they left for Qatar on July 27 through Gulf Management Overseas and paid Raj Kishor Mandal from Sarlahi a hefty sum. “We were asked to pay for Rs 150,000 each to get jobs in Qatar,” Dorik said. He said that Mandal accompanied them to Qatar, but escaped from the Doha Airport. 

The stranded workers are taking shelter in one of their friend’s quarter and they said they are finding it hard managing food and lodging for themselves. Bibek said their Qatar-based agent Manoj Mahato threatened to jail them when they took up the matter. 

Labour attaché at the Embassy of Nepal in Doha, Indradev Pandey, said many Nepali migrants are being duped in the name of ‘free visas’.

 Published on: 18 October 2013 | The Kathmandu Post