Biratnagar, February 14:

A series of bandhs called by different organisations and political parties for the past few days have paralysed normal life in Biratnagar.

The bandhs have affected educational institutions, bazaars, transport sector, various services and industries, among others. The city has been facing shortage of daily commodities because of the bandhs. Likewise, the bandh has also affected the supply of raw materials for different industries based in Biratnagar.

The Madhesi Students’ Front, the student wing of the ruling Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, has called an indefinite bandh in Biratnagar from Thursday, to protest the thrashing of Madhesi students at Dharan-based Eastern Regional Engineering Campus.

The bandh, supported by Nepal Students’ Union and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, has brought the commercial hub of eastern Nepal to a standstill.

Though the local administration has expressed commitment to address the demands raised by the bandh organisers, the political parties and other organisations have not stopped declaring bandhs.

The landless people organised a sit-in in front of the District Administration Office, Morang, on February 10, to draw the government’s attention to their demands. The Tarai Madhes Democratic Party also called a bandh on the same day, demanding the government meet its 13-point charter of demands.

The Tharu Kalyankari Sabha had called a bandh in 14 Tarai districts on February 8 and 9, protesting the government decision to include Tharus as Madhesis in the Service and Employment Bill. The bandhs had also affected normal life in different Tarai cities, including Biratnagar.

The UML-affiliated Youth Force had called a bandh on February 4, protesting the arrest of its party cadres Manoj Khadka and Suman Kuikel.

Meanwhile, Morang CDO Shashi Shekhar Shrestha said attempt to declare Biratnagar a bandh-free district could not materialise due to the lack of commitment from the political parties.

A meeting called yesterday by the DAO for the purpose ended inconclusively.