Kathmandu: Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has decided to organise a rally in capital tomorrow to protest against the transportation strike called by the CPN-Maoist-led 33-party alliance.

Organising a press conference at an open street in Kingsway, Kathmandu this afternoon, FNCCI has said that the rally will be held in capital tomorrow to protest against strikes and transportation strike called by the poll-opposing alliance

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The FNCCI appealed to one and all to gather at Khula Manch at 10:00 am on Wednesday to participate in the protest rally.

Kathmandu: Election Commission (EC) has said that every citizen has a right to express disagreement over any issue in the democracy, but none is allowed to create obstructions violating others’ rights.
EC has made such statement today issuing a press release against the backdrop of poll opposing party CPN-Maoist’s 10-day long banda programme that begun from today to foil the scheduled November 19 polls.
EC has said that its serious attention has been drawn towards the incidents of vandalism, fire and explosion in different parts of the country targeting political leaders, candidates and voters in course of the Nepal banda Monday.
“Rights of others should be respected while exercising one’s right,” the EC said in a press statement, adding that around 12 million voters are eager to take part in the CA election.

Kathmandu: Second rung leaders of three major political parties -UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (UML) – have vowed to defy the banda programme imposed by the poll opposing CPN-Maoist-led 33-party alliance from tomorrow, while a CPN-Maoist leader has warned not to dare it. Speaking at a face-to-face interaction programme organised by Reporters Club Nepal in capital today, UCPN (Maoist) leader Devendra Poudel ‘Sunil’ said that his party will continue with its election campaigning programme including a motorcycle rally irrespective of banda programme of the poll-opposing alliance. He further claimed that the vehicular movement will resume from tomorrow in defiance of the strike. Poudel said it was not time to argue against CA election because all preparations have been made to hold the election.
Likewise, NC leader Minendra Rijal said that people will come to the street defying the banda of the CPN-Maoist. Arguing that the CPN-Maoist does not want the election to happen in Nepal, he claimed such communist party will be wiped from the country.
Similarly, CPN (UML) secretary Yubaraj Gyawali said his party will also operate vehicles for election campaign. “Vehicles will ply in the street from tomorrow, we should foil the strike,” said Gyawali.
However, CPN-Maoist secretary Dev Gurung has warned to not dare to defy the banda programme. He argued that the occurrence of some incidents is result of the conflict after two forces move ahead by ignoring the other side.

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 council enforced the bandh demanding postponement of the stipulated date of the Constituent Assembly (CA) election, it is learnt.

The regular transportation is disrupted on the East-West highway and branch roads in the areas. The passengers are stranded on the roads due to the disruption of transport services, it is learnt.

Likewise, market places and educational institutions are closed in the areas.

Public and private transportations remained off the road and the CPN Maoist cadres are staging protests at major junctions across the capital.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation had announced the hike in fuel prices.

Ambulances and vehicles belonging to the Red Cross, Press, diplomatic missions, tourist service and human rights organisations are allowed to ply.

Security personnel are deployed at every junction in the valley to prevent any untoward incident.

Short and long-route buses and hundreds of passengers are stranded in the valley due to the strike.

The organisers will call off the general strike after 5 pm.

Meanwhile, different fourteen student unions have also announced a weeklong protest against hike in the prices of petroleum products, demanding that the government repeal the hike.

At a joint meeting held yesterday, the unions announced their first-phase protest, which started from today, includes three-day shutdown of fuel stations across the country from September 15.

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: Nepal remained shut down since Sunday morning as dissenting 33 political parties implemented their call as protest against the decision of four major political parties.

The 33 political parties grouped together by the Mohan Baidya led CPN Maoist continued their call for Nepal band as the Interim Election Cabinet and four major political parties declined to address their demands.

The demands which among other include the scrapping of 11 point agreement reached between major political parties and the IEC and dissolution of the Chief Justice led IEC government to form a government led by political parties remain undressed so far.

Following the band all transportation means, factories, academic institutions and local market remained shut through out the main cities across the nation.

Band enforces were seen shouting anti-government and snit-four major political party slogans and some protestors in Kathmandu vandalized press vehicle belonging to Mountain Television.

Security officials have booked 11 protestors from various parts of the capital while they were trying to enforce the banda.