The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, landed in Nepal on Tuesday for his first-ever visit to the South Asian country. The visit comes after trips to Bangladesh and the Philippines, where improving migrant workers’ conditions in the Gulf state and the case of a Nepali student still held hostage by Hamas were also on the agenda. During his two-day visit, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is scheduled to meet with Nepali dignitaries, including President Ram Chandra Poudyal and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Qatar is home to an estimated 400,000 Nepali workers, primarily employed in construction and manual labor. In recent years, concerns have been raised about working conditions in extreme heat, inadequate living facilities, and abuse. In a statement released on Sunday, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Qatar, Nepal, and Bangladesh to prioritize labor protection for migrant workers during the Emir’s visit. The statement quoted Michael Page, the agency’s deputy Middle East and North Africa director, as saying, “It is imperative to go beyond exchanging diplomatic pleasantries over their long-standing labor ties and seize this moment to publicly commit to concrete, enforceable protections that address the serious abuses that migrant workers in Qatar continue to face.” The statement acknowledged that Qatar-based jobs have allowed migrant workers to “send remittances back home to their families,” but emphasized that many experience abuse, including “wage theft, contract violations, and chronic illness linked to unsafe working conditions.” Nepali officials are also expected to seek the Emir’s assistance in securing the release of Bipin Joshi, a local student held hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Joshi was among 17 Nepali students studying agriculture in the Alumim kibbutz near the Gaza Strip when Hamas attacked Southern Israel on October 7, 2022. Ten students were killed, six were injured, and Joshi was taken captive. While there has been no information on his condition or whereabouts, Nepali officials believe he is still alive. In January, France and Qatar mediated a deal for the shipment of medicine for dozens of hostages held captive by Hamas. Hamas’ sudden attack killed 1,200 people, and around 250 others were taken hostage, sparking a conflict that has resulted in over 34,000 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza, according to the local health ministry.
Qatari Emir Visits Nepal Amid Concerns over Migrant Workers and Hostage Crisis
