Sit-ins at border point continues for 14th day
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BIRGUNJ, Oct 8: It has been two weeks since the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) started staging sit-ins at the major customs point of Birgunj. Their protests coupled with the blockade imposed by India have prevented the Birgunj customs office from collecting revenues, which reached Rs 250 to Rs 300 million rupees per day during normal times.
Birgunj customs, which generates more than 50% of the total revenue target of the Customs Department, hummed with activities during normal times. But since the turbulence began in Tarai, the office has worn a deserted look.
Most of the goods imported by Nepali business houses targeting the upcoming Dashain and Tihar festival have been left stranded on the Indian side of the border points. Similarly, trucks carrying petroleum products and LPG have also been prevented from entering Nepal. According to the regional office of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) in Birgunj, 253 trucks with LPG gases and 70 carrying petroleum products are stranded in Raxaul border of India.
"We have not been able to do any work since the ongoing blockade started," said Mitra Lal Regmi, Chief Customs Officer of Birgunj customs.
Protests getting intense at border points
Locals of Bara district have been arriving in Birgunj to participate in sit-in protests, and the protests have been getting intense every day.
More than 20,000 people participated in the sit-in demonstrations at the Miteri Bridge connecting Raxaul and Birgunj on Wednesday. Men and women from the area and distant places reached Miteri Bridge to take part in the sit-in.
"There were more people taking part in the protests today," informed Police Inspector Dibesh Lohani. "However, the protests have remained peaceful."
Transportation, shops, banks, educational institutes, and business houses and marketplaces have remained closed throughout the banda period, brining normal life to a grinding halt. Shortage of daily necessities, including food items, fuel, medicines, among others, has been growing worse. In a sign of intensifying crisis, many hospitals have closed some of their services that require operating generator in lack of diesel.
Business persons hope they do not have to go through the same ordeal in future again. "It does not matter if the banda continues for some more days," said Dharma Nath Shah, a local trader. "But we want a long-lasting solution to this kind of problem."
Shah said many business persons have already lost their hope of dealing financial transactions in the upcoming festivals. "If the blockade of imports does not end soon, many businesses will have to shut themselves," he said.
