Biratnagar, March 12:

Biratnagar bazaar remained closed on the seventh day of the MJF-called general strike today.

Although UML-affiliated People’s Volunteers’ Nepal activists and students tried to open the markets, no shops opened. The students demonstrated in front of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence here today, demanding that the government ensure their right to education in peaceful atmosphere.

Meanwhile, MJF cadres vandalised the Star Boarding School and Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus. They also misbehaved with campus chief Dr Govindamansingh Karki and assistant campus chief Uddhav Pokhrel.

The MJF activists Arun Thakur and Mahendra Narayan Yadav mistreated them, police said. Property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged in the vandalism.

A report from Siraha said some businessmen, defying the general strike, ran their business firms in Mirchaiya, Golbazaar, Madar, Thadi and Kalyanpur areas. Educational institutions also opened there. Some two dozen government offices in Siraha and Lahan, which were closed following pressure from MJF activists, are yet reopen. No offices, save the Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Bank Limited, opened in Lahan.

A report from Bara said markets and educational institutions remained closed in Kalaiya. Vehicles stayed off the roads. However, motorbikes were seen plying on the Kalaiya- Birgunj road.

MJF cadres also disrupted Kalaiya- Manpath road section. However, vehicles plied on Pathlaiya- Hetauda section of the Tribhuvan highway and Pathlaiya- Neejgadh section of the Mahendra highway. There was no effect of the strike in Amlekhgunj, Simara, Pathlaiya and Neejgadh areas of Bara.

A report from Nepalgunj said over 50 loaded vehicles entered Nepal through Nepalgunj customs today. Vehicles carrying petroleum products, gas and cement entered Nepal, chief at the Nepalgunj Customs Office Krishna Prasad Poudel said. Revenue collection had been disrupted after the MJF closed the checkpoint. Poudel said: “Revenue of Rs 1 crore was collected today.”

There was no effect of the strike in Nepalgunj. Transport entrepreneurs said vehicles left for Surkhet, Dhangadhi, Mahendranagar, Dang, Butwal and Kathmandu from Nepalgunj.