Kaushal Kishor Ray, Nepal’s acting ambassador to Egypt, said that three others are languishing in Tripoli-based prison. The workers-Pritiman Tamang, Min Bahadur Tamang and Hem Bahadur Banjara, all from Dhading-have been charged with holding fake visas.

“We have requested Libyan embassy in Egypt to release the workers,” Ray said. The workers reached the north African country three months ago through an illegal channel.

“I landed here in January, 2012 via Delhi,” said Tej Bahadur Rai over the phone. Rai, who hails from Okhaldhunga, is among the 35 Nepalis working in Tripoli-based Intake Gas and Petrol Company.  

According to Nepali migrants in Libya, said that most Nepalis are working in local gas companies while others are running shops.

While Libya remains on the list of countries banned by the Government of Nepal for employment, a stream of Nepali migrants continue to land there illegally. Recruitment agents are said to be charging around Rs 300,000 from a worker to send him or her to Libya.

Pointing to the growing number of Nepali migrants reaching Libya through Indian route, Ray said that his office had suggested the Foreign Ministry on the possibility to review the ban, assessing security situation in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

According to him, the Libyan government is positive on the matter of letting Nepali workers into the country.  And representatives of some recruiting agencies are even urging the Department of Foreign Employment to lift the ban, said Director General of the DoFE Krishna Hari Pushkar.

“However, the ban cannot be lift until we are assured of the security situation in Libya,” he said. More than 2,000 Nepali workers, who were stranded in Libya following the ouster of former ruler Muammar Gaddafi, were rescued and brought back home in August 2012.