Kathmandu, September 9

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the largest umbrella body of the private sector, has called on agitating political parties in the Tarai to roll back all protest programmes immediately to create an environment where business activities could be conducted freely.

The request was made to leaders of the five major agitating parties in the Tarai — Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, Sadbhavana Party, Tarai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Nepal Sadbhavana Party — amidst a function held at the secretariat of Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bhairahawa.

Handing over separate memorandums to the leaders, FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka urged the parties to extend a lending hand in constitution drafting process so that a charter that encapsulates the sentiment of all Nepalis can be promulgated.

“These protests are only violating people’s right to earn a living. So, they must come to an end,” a statement issued today by FNCCI quotes Murarka as saying. He also said protests should also be called back considering the upcoming festivals of Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

Murarka reminded political parties that the devastating earthquakes of April and May that killed around 9,000 people and inflicted losses of hundreds of billions of rupees had shattered the business sentiment in the country.

“The subsequent bandhs have once again forced the business sector to book losses to the tune of billions of rupees,” he said, adding, “Political parties have failed to create a business-friendly environment despite our repeated calls. As a result, the entire economy is on the verge of collapse, which is very worrying.”

The continuous bandhs in the Tarai have affected the movement of vehicles, prevented goods from entering the country, rendered millions of rupees worth of raw materials useless, restricted manufacturing firms from transporting finished goods to the market, affected the tourism sector, barred students from attending schools and sick people from visiting hospitals, added burden on entrepreneurs who have to regularly pay the staff and service debt, and severely affected the movement of people and daily wage earners, Murarka further said.

In response, the political leaders said the ongoing protests were a ‘compulsion’ and requested the FNCCI to exert pressure on the government to find a solution to the ongoing problems.

CNI urges dialogue

KATHMANDU: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged all agitating political parties to sit for talks to end the ongoing protests in the Tarai. It has also said educational institutions and industrial areas should be declared zones of peace. The CNI has further said that demurrage charges slapped on goods due to delay in their clearance from ports and customs points should be written off and pressure should not be exerted on management of various firms that are unable to extend salary to their staff members due to disruption in their operation.