Sri Lanka, Jan. 26 -- The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has instructed the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to investigate the possibility of repatriating migrant workers stranded overseas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions using funds owned by the Bureau of Foreign Employment.

A total of 34,721 workers who lost their jobs due to the fall of oil prices in the Middle East and the COVID - 19 disaster have already requested the Bureau of Foreign Employment to repatriate them.

In response to COPE's inquiry about whether there are legal impediments to the repatriation of Sri Lankan workers from various countries who have been affected by the COVID-19 utilizing SLBFE's current assets of Rs. 14 million, the SLBFE Chairp...