Nepal

Single Bajura bank struggles hard to satisfy crowd with new banknotes

Single Bajura bank struggles hard to satisfy crowd with new banknotes

By Prakash Singh

Locals wait in line to exchange notes outside the only bank in Martadi, the Bajura district headquarters, on Monday, October 3, 2016. Photo: Prakash Singh/ THT

BAJURA: Locals of Martadi, the Bajura district headquarters, are facing trouble in exchanging new banknotes for the Dashain festival. The town has only one bank to provide banking services to residents of this remote district. Consequently, locals have to wait in a long queue to perform any transaction even on normal days. In comparison to other days, the bank sees more transaction during the Dashain festival, a bank official stated. In the festive season, the bank has a daily transaction of around Rs 5 million. Crowds of people outside the bank waiting for new banknotes have disrupted functions of the bank for the past two days, the bank officials complained. A local teacher Man Rokaya, who was also in line waiting for his turn, said that the service from the bank was very poor. “Even after waiting in line for so long, the bank sent us back empty-handed stating lack of notes.” The Nepal Rastra Bank had allowed the general public to exchange new banknotes from October 2 all over the country.