Normal life has been adversely affected in 16 districts of eastern Nepal due to a bandh (shutdown strike) enforced by Brahman Samaj by putting forth their 7-point demand.

Vehicular movement in East-West highway, Mechi-Koshi highway including secondary highways connecting them to various eastern hilly districts has come to a grinding halt due to the bandh. Thousands of passengers travelling in buses and other vehicles through these districts have been stranded as a result.

Similarly, shops and business in main market places including educational institutions, factories and offices have been shut down in Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Udaypur including other districts of eastern region while office goers as well as general public are having difficulty in commuting to their destination as public vehicles stayed off the road.

The little-known Brahman Samaj imposed the bandh demanding that Brahmans, or Bahuns, should also be recognized as Janjatis (indigenous nationalities), reservations for people of their community in civil service and urging the government not to federate the country along ethnic or linguistic lines. Nepalnews.com