ITAHARI: A meeting of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Protection Forum of the eastern region held in Itahari today decided to launch campaigns against bandhs and strikes.

According to Tanka Dulal, chairman, IEPF, they would form committees comprising representatives of the political parties in the main cities of the region as a part of their programme. They have also decided to entrust local committees with the responsibility of resisting bandhs in their areas.

According to Dulal, Itahari and Dharan would be declared bandh-free areas. “We will fight against bandhs and strikes. We will definitely succeed if we get support from all sectors,” he said, adding, the forum had also decided to launch awareness programmes in the urban areas of the region.