Nepal is one of the poorest nation in the planet facing lot of problems with political instability, lack of rule of law and good governance. Since a decade, Nepal is continuously facing a challenge of Nepal Banda (shutdown/Strikes) which is hurting the livelihood of common people. With the objective of analyzing banda and its effect on common people lives, Bikalpa a Alternative jointly conducted a research on Nepal Banda with Gari Khana Deu/Livable Nepal Campaign.
It is estimated that one day of Nepal Banda costs 1.75 Billion of Nepalese rupees. Since September 2013 till August 2014, 53 strikes and shutdown took place in Nepal. Comparing the past, trend of Nepal Banda has changed to district and local level banda. Out of 53 days, political parties and its sister wings has called banda for 22 times. CPN-Maoist and its alliance alone has called banda for 17 times, most of the time they have called banda to affect the Constitution Assembly election.
Besides political parties, Bus &Tripper Associations and local people are in second place to call banda. They both have called banda for 9 times each. The reason for calling banda to Bus and Tripper Association is due to the issue of syndicate and against government policies. At the same time local people have called banda demanding punishment to the guilty and for the compensation on the death of their relatives. Students called banda for 5 days against the bus fair raise, medical Association 4, FNCCI 3 and Tea Workers has called banda for one day.
Month of November 2013 face the highest number of banda for 13 days. September 9 and August face the banda for 7 days. Banda has more effect on eastern region compare to west. Morang, jhapa and Dhankuta District faced 22 times banda in a year. Taplejung, Sunsari, Terhathum, Sankhuwashaba, Panchthar and Ilam District faced the banda for 21 times.
Everyone has the right to raise their voice, but not in the cost of other rights and privilege. Whatever may be the demand of the banda organizers, it always hurt the common masses. Banda organizers should realize that there is the boundary while using our rights. Government should be serious to address the demand of banda organizers on time. Also government should protect the rights of citizens and punish the culprits who violates the rights of others.
