Normal life in few Terai districts has been partially affected on Tuesday due to the day-long banda (shutdown strike) called by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN).

NEFIN, which works for the rights and welfare of various ethnic communities in Nepal, enforced the banda demanding ethnicity-based federalism.

Reports coming in say that 10 NEFIN activists who were enforcing the banda in Itahari of Sunsari district were arrested by the police this morning.

Vehicular movement in Itahari and the highway passing through the town has come to a grinding halt as both short and long route buses and other vehicles have stayed off the road due to fear of attacks by banda organizers.

Shops and businesses in the main market center including educational institutions, factories and industries also remain mostly closed in Sunsari district.

Meanwhile, the day-long strike has also affected Dang district in western Nepal with shops and businesses in the main market center, industries, educational institutions in the district closed, while the streets and highways wear a deserted look due to private and public vehicles staying off the road.

Reports say that police arrested 9 NEFIN activists who were enforcing banda in Dang this morning.

NEFIN has warned of nationwide protest if the parties fail to ensure ethnicity-based federalism in the new constitution. nepalnews.com