Kathmndu May 7.

The Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) Middle-east Committee has suggested the government to bring home the Nepali citizens stranded in foreign land on priority basis. A meeting of the NRNA’s Middle-East Region also urged the government to immediately form a special committee with the involvement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this purpose. The meeting discussed the problem seen and assessed the possible problem in future due to the COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. It called on the government to make arrangements for food and accommodation for the workers expelled from the camp and to urge the country concerned in the case of workers who have lost their job allowing them to change the company after collecting data about them. The meeting has also drawn the attention of the government to initiate the process for repatriation to Nepal of the dead bodies of Nepalis that are stuck in foreign countries for various reasons. Lawmaker and ILO member Binda Pandey also participated in the discussions. Meanwhile, the NRNA has provided financial assistance to its chapters in additional five countries with large number of coronavirus infected Nepalis. NRNA general secretary Dr Hemraj Sharma said the NRNA has released funds to its chapters in Bahrain, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Malta. NRNA released 5,000 US Dollars each for its Bahrain, Spain, Portugal and Italy chapters, and 3,000 US Dollars to the Malta chapter. The NRNA had provided the financial assistance to its chapters in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Cyprus before this. So far, 73 NRNs have died of coronavirus while 5,247 Nepalis in 27 different countries are affected by it, the NRNA Health Committee stated.