In orders that could have hurt its friendly ties with India, Bhutan had asked all foreign businessmen and workers in border districts to leave by today but the issue has been resolved with the move being put on hold.
In orders that could have hurt its friendly ties with India, Bhutan had asked all foreign businessmen and workers in border districts to leave by today but the issue has been resolved with the move being put on hold.
The Indian embassy has taken up the issue with Bhutan government which has promised not to implement the orders, sources said.
This has averted a situation where the "unique" and friendly relations between the two countries could have been affected.
Bhutan's Gelephu-based Regional Trade and Industry Office under the ministry of economic affairs had issued a notification on August 24, directing all "trading sectors" in the border districts to "send back all the non-nationals" employed by them "out of the country" by September 30.
The notification, a copy of which is available with PTI, said that after the "expiry of notification", inspections would be carried out in all trading sectors in Gelephu and Sarpang and any violator could be punished with cancellation of licenses or imposition of fines.
The notification would apply to business establishments like hardware, footwear, grocery, clothing, pan shop, vegetable, utensil and meat vendors.
Another notification was issued by the ministry's regional trade and industry office based at Phuentsholing.
Citing the order of the department of labour, it said it would start enforcing from October 1 the Labour and Employment Act of 2007 under which "all foreigners holding business licences in different trades are required to obtain work permits."
The order said that to ensure that there are no disturbances in business, "all expatriate license holders are reminded to obtain work permits by the end of September 2010."
It added that no work permit was being issued to Indians.
Sources said some Indians had already left Bhutan in the wake of these orders.
India and Bhutan enjoy unique relations, with their citizens not required to have passport to travel to each other's countries.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}