KATHMANDU: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed its commitment to support Nepal’s development and poverty reduction efforts at this critical time for the country. “ADB remains committed to supporting Nepal’s development and poverty reduction efforts at this critical time for the country,” said Kunio Senga, director general of ADB’s South Asia Department. Senga was speaking at the conclusion of the three-day long official visit yesterday. He arrived in Kathmandu last Monday. Senga held high-level consultations with the government senior officials to discuss issues relating to ADB’s operations in Nepal. He emphasised the need to stay the course on reforms and to continue development activities effectively. “Broad-based development aimed at reducing poverty, social exclusion, and regional disparities can be a powerful impetus for peace,” Senga was quoted as saying in a press release issued by ADB Mission in Kathmandu, today. During his visit, Senga met with vice-chairmen of the council of ministers, Dr Tulsi Giri and Kirti Nidhi Bista, Dr Shankar Sharma, vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, chief secretary Dr Bimal Koirala, finance secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya and other senior government officials. He also met representatives of key development partners in Nepal. ADB is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 63 members, with 45 from the region.

Rights commission nails a lie

KATHMANDU: Even as the government yesterday denied having rearrested general secretary of the Janamorcha Nepal, Nawaraj Subedi, a team of the National Human Rights Commission today met the latter at the Lalitpur District Police Station. Terming the government’s move to rearrest freed individuals as going against the rule of law, NHRC member Sudip Pathak and other officials submitted a memorandum to the government asking it to refrain from “repeating such activities,” a statement issued by the NHRC said. Subedi was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport while heading for Pakistan to attend an international conference. Security forces released him on June 15 following a Supreme Court order to the government authorities to release him. Subedi was, however, re-arrested from the party office the same day. Taking up his case, the Nepal Bar Association NBA approached the apex court for Subedi’s release, leading to the Supreme Court asking the home ministry to explain why Subedi had been arrested again. Furnishing a written reply to the apex court yesterday, secretary at the Home Ministry had said that it had not done “anything that has infringed on Subedi’s personal liberty.”