Foreign Employment Department Transformed, Yet Workers’ Plight Remains Unresolved (Video)

May 8, Kathmandu – The Foreign Employment Department premises at Tahachal now seem devoid of the usual uproar. The large crowds seen at each window and the throng of middlemen promising to resolve fraud cases are no longer present.

What was once an office filled with tears and anger from workers appears to have become a quiet administrative venue. The daily hustle from morning to evening has significantly decreased.

The department’s windows used to be crowded with people filing complaints, many claiming, “I was promised foreign employment but was deceived.”

However, the number of visitors lodging complaints has reduced. Previously, 200 to 500 people arrived daily with issues. During a monitoring visit on Thursday, there was no crowd at the counters.

This decline in crowd doesn’t reflect a decrease in workers’ hardships. Dharmendra Kushwaha from Rautahat arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday and has been at the department for three days. After paying an agent over 21 lakh NPR to be sent to Japan, the agent fled.

Dharmendra deposited 8 lakh NPR in Talash Pandey’s account and 13.5 lakh NPR in Sima Susant’s account. Despite lodging a complaint on September 27, 2024, the case remains unresolved. He has had to repeatedly travel from Rautahat to Kathmandu.

Sima and Talash had promised to help him get to Japan, but their deceit wasted his resources. Despite completing his Career and Employment Orientation (CEO), he was deported from Tribhuvan Airport. After reapplying six months later, he was again denied.

Dharmendra has been fighting to reclaim his money for two years. He said, “I was defrauded of 21 lakh NPR in the name of sending me to Japan, and now I face threats when asking for my money back.” He is seeking justice.

The police have arrested Talash and are conducting an investigation, but he is reportedly threatening to get bail. Dharmendra stated that filing the case is not his priority; recovering his money is.

Dharmendra holds hope that the new government will secure justice for him. He said, “With the new government in place, I hope my case will be resolved soon.”

His dream was shattered by fraud in the name of foreign employment, and now he seeks justice at the department.

He was sharing his ordeal with department staff. “One person has been arrested but another is still in Japan. The department hasn’t helped to hold passports,” he said.

A Fraud That Delivered a Final Blow to a Mother

Ashok Kumar Jha, an elderly man from Barmajhari, Saptari, appeared exhausted and pale while sharing his grief at the department window.

In hope of sending his son to Romania, he gave 13 lakh 20 thousand NPR to Balram Lama. Despite his wife struggling for life in an ICU in Dharan, he was compelled to send his son abroad.

“The agent forcibly sent my son saying the visa would be canceled. On the day my son reached Delhi, my wife passed away,” Ashok said emotionally. His son couldn’t reach Romania and was even unable to attend his mother’s last rites.

Due to financial strain, Suraj has been sweating in Qatar’s desert for a year, forced to abandon hope.

Ashok explained that because a large portion of the money was handed over as cash, gathering evidence has been difficult.

These cases represent many others. The department records 40 to 50 complaints daily. Since the new government took office, many more victims have rushed to file fraud complaints.

During a three-hour observation of the premises, fewer crowds were seen compared to before. The behavior of staff has improved, but due to policy complexities, victims still wait years for justice.

Campaign: Complaints, Grievances, and Cases Are a Priority – Department Spokesperson

According to the department’s spokesperson Binda Acharya, the rise in expectations for justice from defrauded workers led to increased crowds at the department some months ago.

“We are prioritizing complaints, grievances, and cases. Research officers are assigned on the same or next day of complaint registration,” she stated.

The department has appointed a dedicated officer for complaint management and published 17 contact numbers on its website for services like rescue, labor approval, and information, establishing direct communication channels.

To improve service delivery, the department has enhanced physical arrangements and controlled unauthorized middlemen and fee-collecting through form submissions.

However, handling old complaints remains a challenge. Due to poor organization of past files, a special team has been formed to manage them. The department plans to launch complaint management software by the end of Ashar.

Recently, individual frauds have increased compared to institutional scams. Many Nepalis have been cheated through social media, fake IDs, and overseas networks.

“Fraud from manpower companies has decreased, but personal scams have risen. With insufficient evidence, justice is difficult,” Acharya added.

Investigations are delayed when accused individuals reside abroad, making it hard to deliver swift justice to victims, the department noted.

The department has also accelerated the dissemination of foreign employment opportunities. Although the government claims faster, transparent, and user-friendly services, workers’ grievances remain at the department. Dreams to go to Japan lie unfinished, and hopes for Romania remain uncertain. Efforts for improvement continue, but the biggest question among the defrauded is: when will justice be served?

All photos and video by Chandra Ale