The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of tens of thousands of Nepali migrant workers stranded abroad as the Nepali Government has barred them from re-entering the homeland.
Over 4 million Nepalis are currently working in various foreign countries including India, the Gulf States and South Korea. However, their situation is very daunting as many have lost their jobs and have no income due to the ongoing crisis.
As stranded Nepalis continue to face rapidly worsening hardships, the Nepali Government has decided to repatriate Nepalis trapped in various countries from June 5, 2020.
According to the Foreign Ministry Joint Secretary Harischandra Ghimire, around 40,000 Nepalis are willing to come home.
A total of 26 Nepalis have reached the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) from Myanmar today.
“26 Nepalis stranded in Myanmar have landed in Kathmandu on Friday through a Myanmar Military Airlines,” said Devendra KC, TIA General Manager.
Likewise, Air Arabia’s first flight is uplifting a total of 157 Nepalis from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The flight from UAE carrying Nepalis will land at the TIA this afternoon around 5 pm,” said Raj Kumar Chhetri, Civil Aviation Authority Spokesperson.
However, the Nepalis arriving from foreign countries would be kept in quarantine. They will be sent to their homes only if they are asymptotic to COVID-19.