Business community withdraws indefinite shutdown

Following the written commitment by the eight-party top leaders to provide security to the business sector, the agitating business community on Wednesday night has withdrawn its indefinite shutdown announced on Monday against the Maoist excesses and government’s negligence towards business sector security.

Issuing statements, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) have announced the withdrawal of the shutdown. 

Earlier in the evening, the eight-party top leaders had expressed their joint commitment to maintain security restricting any sorts of extortion, terror, property capture, and intimidation and to take strong action to the persons involved in such activities.

"This meeting believes that the government will arrange appropriate security measures to creating a favourable environment for the smooth running of the businesses and industries," said a statement jointly signed by the top eight-party leaders including NC president and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist Chairman Prachanda, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC-D president Sher Bahadur Deuba, Janmorcha Chairman Amik Sherchan, Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party central member Prem Suwal.

Representatives of the agitating business community on Wednesday afternoon had also held a discussion programme at Hotel Radisson with the CPN-Maoist about the problems of business community.

In the discussion, Maoists Chairman Prachanda had expressed his firm commitment to raise the issues of business community in the meeting of the eight political parties.

Chairman Prachanda had also urged businessmen to postpone the protest programs and seek solution from talks. Conceding that style of war was still persisted in the party sometimes, he said party was correcting the mistakes.

The agitating business community had been saying that it would not end the protest until eight political parties would address the demands of the business sector through written commitment.