NEPALGUNJ, Dec 16: Bedh Nidhi Chapagain of Raptisonari Rural Municipality-1 of Banke district died in Saudi Arabia while working for the Jeddah Almarai company. He died of a heart attack on December 1 but the family is unable to carry out the last rites because the body is still stuck in a foreign country.
The Chapagain family has been waiting for the body to arrive ever since they had news of the death. They feel helpless and have no idea how much longer it will take.
“We have heard that the Nepali Embassy in Saudi Arabia has initiated the procedures for repatriating the body but we don’t know what progress they have made,” said Nirmala, widow of the deceased.
Nepali migrant worker's body yet to arrive from Saudi Arabia
Bedh Nidhi’s brother Barun has returned from Malaysia on a month’s leave after learning about the death. With Bedh’s body still in Saudi Arabia, the state of uncertainty is weighing down on the bereaved family and friends and relatives as well as well-wishers.
“I hope the government arranges repatriation of the body at the earliest so that we can carry out the last rites and find closure,” said Barun.
According to family sources, Bedh Nidhi was in Saudi Arabia for the past five years. He had returned briefly in April for performing the last rites of his mother.
“I last talked to my husband on November 24. He also talked with our son and daughter and told us he was coming home in the first week of January,” said Nirmala.
Nirmala, meanwhile, is worried about how she will raise her children.
