Kathmandu, August 24:

Manpower agents associated with Nepal Association for Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) today gheraoed the office of Department of Labour and Employment Promotion (DLEP), demanding annulment of a provision that governs the registration of manpower agencies.

They were demanding amendment to the provision that says manpower agents must deposit Rs 2 lakh in cash and property worth Rs 2.3 million as bank guarantee to register a foreign employment agency. “The Foreign Employment Act 2007 demands foreign employment agents, including those established before the promulgation of the Act, to deposit bank guarantee as prescribed in the Act,” Gyan Prasad Gaire, general secretary of the association, said. Gaire said the association had filed a petition at the Supreme Court on August 20 demanding a stay order.

Keshar Bahadur Baniya, director-general of the department, said activities of the office were not hampered despite the gherao. “Their demand cannot be met,” Baniya added.