A bomb detonates along the Prithvi Highway on Thursday morning. No causalities were reported. (Thaneswar Guragai./Facebook)

KATHMANDU: The Nepal band called by the 33 dissident political parties led by the CPN Maoist started bomb blasts, clashes with police and torching of vehicles across the nation on Sunday morning.

Cadres affiliated to member parties of the alliance took to roads to block the roads, vandalized vehicles and explosives were recovered from various places. The alliance had called today’s general strike to foil the upcoming Constituent Assembly member elections slated for November 19.

Here are the udpates from across the nation.

Bhaktapur– A public passenger bus ( Na 3 Kha 3711) vandalized and torched.

Pokhara: A taxi and motorcyle vandalized at Zero Kilometer.

Kavre: A bus ferrying passenger attacked with a petrol bomb. No human casualites, bus managed to get away.

Dolakha: Two stationary buses parked near district headquarters vandalized and torched.

Dharan: District Administration Office’s vehicle vandalized and torched.

Kathmandu: Nagarik Newspaper’s vehicle (Ba 4 Cha 4872) vandalized near Bhaat Bhateni store in Koteshwor.

Nepali Army has been mobilized in Kathmandu since morning to maintain peace and security.

Bombs reccovered from multiple places.

Kathmandu: Thapathali chowk, New Baneshwor Chowk, Balkhu, Dhapasi (two bombs), KMC-22 ward office,
Lalitpur- Lalitpur-22,
Sirah: Lahan,
Kailali: Geta based food factory
Nuwakot: Ratamate and UCPN Maoist’s district office.
Rasuwa: At Dhunche.
Mahottari: Laxminiya-3 based sub-health post’s premise.
Chitwan: Two bombs blast

Police continues to detain band enforcers:

18 detained in Kathmandu
14 detained in Lalitpur

Police recovers petrol bombs and khukuris from them.

Police forces public transport buses to ply on the street despite protests from owners.

FNCCI has also urged entrepreneurs to defy the call for band.

Though the 33 party alliance had called for ten day general shutdown initially, an emergency meeting of the alliance on Sunday had limited shutdown only to Monday and has announced to halt transportation from tomorrow onwards till November 20.

Though they have said press, human rights, and other emergency vehicles will be allowed to ply on the street, the alliance has denied permission to tourist vehicles for plying on the roads.

The band was a part of the alliances strategy to protest against the proposed November 19 Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.

Life in 20 districts in the regions has come to a grinding halt due to the bandh. Short and long route traffic has been completely halted, while educational institutions and local market areas are shut in most of the districts.

The alliance has called shutdown in Rukum, Salyan, Rolpa, Pyuthan, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Baglung, Myagdi, Gorkha, Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Tanahun, Kaski, Parbat, Syangja, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts, today.

Among others, the alliance has called today’s bandh demanding the nullification of the March 14 agreement signed by the four major parties, formation of an all-party government, dissolution of the Regmi-led interim government and postponement of CA polls.

The party has called for the bandh demanding that federal states including the Limbuwan state be guaranteed before the election to the Constituent Assembly (CA) takes place.

Hundreds of passengers have been stranded due to the closure of transport services on the East-West Highway, the Mechi Highway and other highways connecting the districts.

Likewise, educational institutions are also closed.

No untoward incidents have been reported so far in Jhapa district in course of the general strike, police said.

CPN Maoist, Federal Democratic Morcha and Federal Socialist party among others of the 42 political parties brought the nation to a stand still expressing dissatisfaction over the announcement of the CA election date.

Educational institutions, factories offices have remained close since morning in the capital and across the nation. Secretary of the CPN Maoist, Dev Gurung, said that press and hospital vehicles and other means that transport vital services will be allowed to ferry on the roads.

Security across all roads have been beefed up since morning.

The 42 party alliance has been protesting against the formation of the incumbent government and the 11 and 15 point agreement between major political parties and have demanded that they would not hold talks with the government unless both of agreements are scrapped.

Gurung informed that the band will be called off from 6 in the evening today.

KATHMANDU: Protesting against the agreement to form an electoral government in the leadership of Chief Justice, the CPN Maoist brought the nation to a grinding halt.
All academic institutions, public and private transportation, markets remained closed since early Tuesday morning.

Despite its assurance to allow press, ambulances and vehicles of diplomatic missions to run on the roads, Maoist band enforces vandalised press vehicles in Kathmandu.
Band enforcers vandalised a van ferrying press personals of Sagarmatha Television in Baneshwor Chowk.

Similarly, some band enforcers also vandalised a passenger bus ferrying tourists in front of Amrit Science Campus, Lainchour this morning.

Situation in the capital remained tense as police and band enforcers confronted each other.

A dozen of the party activists have been detained by the police on charges of forcefully enforcing the band in the capital.

The party enforced total shutdown throughout the nation stating that the major political parties were forming electoral government in the leadership of sitting Chief Justice Khilaraj Regmi as directed by foreign power sources.

Along with that the party has accused the major political parties of forming the Regmi led government b going against the spirit of parliamentary democracy.