Biratnagar, Nov. 26 -- Ganesh Khawas (Tharu) of ward 7 in Dhanpalthan Rural Municipality travelled to Cambodia last year on a visit visa after paying traffickers Rs450,000, who promised easy work in a juice or shoe factory. On arrival, he discovered no such jobs existed. Instead, he was forced into hard physical labour, including carrying sand along the coast and working at construction sites.

After struggling under the harsh conditions, Khawas devised a plan with the traffickers to recruit other youths from his village, promising the same easy jobs and collecting large sums. His plan succeeded. Relatives and other youths from the village also paid Rs450,000 each to travel to Cambodia.

However, they faced the same hardships. The promise...