PARSA: Dashain fever has gripped the country, but business is still dull in Birgunj, a city considered the business capital of Nepal.

Business transaction is on the decline here, though the greatest festival of Nepal’s Hindus started from September 19. Traders say festive enthusiasm is diminishing among consumers.

“Compared to the previous festive season, business is down this time. There is no liveliness in the market,” said Deepak Saraf, a local trader. “Customers thronged the shops last festive season. This time, there is nothing to rejoice at.” Saraf added that some traders are finding it tough to even pay shop rent and the salary of employees.

Merchants are blaming the frequent strikes, bandhs impacting the economy, shrinking income of the people and the growing sense of insecurity due to terror unleashed by armed outfits for turning Dashain lacklustre. Mushrooming of armed groups has displaced many people. “Hill-origin people do heavy Dashain shopping compared to the Madhesi community. Their displacement has decreased trade,” said Dharma Raj Sonar, who has been running a business at Ghantaghar for the past 20 years.

Another trader aired similar concerns. “Economic activities used to increase a month before Dashain. But it seems that those days are a thing of the past now,” said Jawahar Gupta. Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) also said business was decreasing.

“Over the past five years, trade has gradually come down in Bara and Parsa districts,” said BCCI senior vice-president Ashok Temani.

Traders in Nepalgunj were hoping for a business boom during the festive season are a disappointed lot, as many people preferred going to towns across the border for Dashain shopping. According to the Chairman of Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Damodar Acharya over 50 percent of Nepali customers go to Rupaidiya in India for shopping. He said the people think that goods are cheaper in India and they even buy commodities produced by multinational companies in India by paying higher prices than in Nepal.

Such attitude of Nepali consumers has shrunk Nepali market and expanded Indian market, a disappointed readymade garment trader Dipak Gupta said. A monitoring of Rupaidiya revealed that Nepalis spend nearly Rs 1.2 million in small and big stores there.

Acharya said despite their publicity campaign that goods are really cheaper in Nepal than India, they have failed to attract the attention of the consumers. According to data collected by Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nepal has been bearing with a capital drain of about Rs 10 million a day ahead of the festival.