Kathmandu – Every day, around 2,500 Nepalese leave the country in search of foreign employment, carrying with them dreams of supporting their families and building a better future. Far from home, family, and friends, they hope to earn enough to pay debts, buy land, and build houses. But for many, these dreams end in tragedy abroad.

Instead of returning with savings and gifts for their children, some workers return sealed in coffins. Their families, who had placed all hopes in them, receive only their remains. This grim reality continues to grow.

According to the Foreign Employment Board, in just the first two months of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (mid-July to mid-September 2025), the bodies of 142 Nepali workers who died overseas were brought back home. Among them, 43 deaths occurred in the first month (Shrawan) and 99 in the second month (Bhadra).

Of these, the board bore the cost of repatriating 83 bodies, while the remaining were sent back with financial assistance from companies and other agencies. Last fiscal year, a total of 1,086 bodies were transported back to Nepal, with 481 of them repatriated directly through the board.

The board arranges for the bodies of deceased migrant workers to be delivered from Tribhuvan International Airport to their homes free of charge. In cases where companies pay for repatriation, the board still ensures transport up to the family’s doorstep.

Financial assistance is also provided to bereaved families. In the first two months of this fiscal year, 268 families received aid, including 142 in Shrawan and 126 in Bhadra. Each family of a deceased worker is given 1 million rupees in compensation.

Additionally, workers who suffer serious injuries or become disabled during employment abroad are entitled to up to 700,000 rupees for medical expenses . Families also receive 50,000 rupees for health support, while children of deceased or fully disabled workers are awarded scholarships of 12,000 rupees annually for basic education and 16,000 rupees for secondary education.

To qualify for compensation, families must submit applications within one year of the worker’s death or disability, along with official documentation certified by concerned authorities.

This ongoing tragedy highlights the price many Nepali workers pay while striving to support their loved ones abroad.