Ilam, June 9:

Some 701 Nepalis have been languishing in a Qatar jail for the last 15 days.

“Police arrested the Nepalis, who had been working for the Doha-based Alhuda Engineering Works Company, and jailed them 15 days ago,” Yam Prasad Mishra, a worker in the

same company, told this daily over phone.

“The workers were arrested while they were staging an agitation, demanding that their five-point demand be met,” Mishra said.

Those arrested include Bal Bahadur Roy of Ilam; Prakash Dahal and Dhan Raj Gurung of Terhathum; Bam Bahadur Khadka of Syangja; Bhuwan Thapa, Arjun Thapa and Sher Bahadur Magar of Tanahun; Top Bahadur Baral and Amrit Reshmi of Palpa; Bal Bahadur Gurung and Kau Prasad Bishwokarma of Lamjung; and Saroj Nepali of Rukum.

“Among other things, the workers were demanding life insurance, medical treatment facilities and payment of salaries on a monthly basis,” Mishra said.

“Over 700 Nepalis are working in different departments of the company. They came here through various manpower companies,” he further said.

“We managed to contact the workers a day after their arrest. We are unable to contact them at present.”

“We visited the Nepali Embassy here to seek their release. However, embassy officials sent us back, saying they cannot facilitate the release of the jailed workers.”