Is Nepal Banda Back Again? What’s Happening, What We Know
Kathmandu
Is the country heading for another shutdown? The scene is shifting quickly, and it looks like Nepal is bracing for a double-bandha on Monday, (Jestha 19).
Photo: Nepal Press
Two powerful groups royalists and transport entrepreneurs have separately announced strikes that could bring the Kathmandu Valley and much of the country to a grinding halt.
Royalists Call Kathmandu Valley Bandha
The pro-monarchy group Samyukta Janaandolan Samiti has declared a Kathmandu Valley shutdown for Monday. The announcement comes in protest of police suppression during recent peaceful demonstrations and the arrest of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) Chairman Kamal Thapa.
“We are changing the nature of our movement in response to state brutality,” said the committee’s coordinator Nawaraj Subedi in a press release. “Tomorrow, we urge all our supporters to actively participate in the Valley bandha from their local neighborhoods and intersections.”
The group has demanded the immediate release of Thapa and others detained during the protests calling for the restoration of the monarchy.
Transport Strikes Set to Paralyze the Country
At the same time, a nationwide strike by public transport operators is set to kick in from Monday.
The National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs, backed by multiple unions, has announced a complete halt to all short-, medium-, and long-distance transport services including buses, mini-buses, trucks, and taxis.
Reason?
This strike comes in response to a new ride-sharing regulation introduced by the Gandaki Province government, which transport entrepreneurs say directly threatens their business. They are especially opposed to allowing 15-year-old private vehicles to operate under ride-sharing services, claiming it’s an unfair and unsafe policy.
“This is not real ride-sharing this is just unregulated public transport under a new name,” said federation chairman Vijay Bahadur Swar. “From tomorrow, every public vehicle will stay in its garage.”
They’ve also demanded the scrapping of the recently announced “Ride-Sharing Regulation 2082,” amendments to outdated laws, enforcement of vehicle weight limits, and the creation of a proper national transport authority.
7 Lakh Vehicles Could Stay Off the Roads
Transport associations estimate that up to 700,000 vehicles could remain off the roads starting Monday. With royalists also planning their own bandha in Kathmandu, concerns are rising that public life especially in the capital could be severely disrupted.
Security agencies are reportedly on alert, with experts warning that two simultaneous protests could put the government under serious pressure.
What to Expect Tomorrow:
- Kathmandu Valley bandha by pro-monarchy groups
- Nationwide shutdown of public transport
- All short-, medium-, and long-distance public vehicles halted
- Heavy disruption likely in schools, offices, and public services
- Increased security deployment expected across key locations
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