Submit your Article

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba informed that all Nepali students in Bangladesh are safe.

She took to social media this morning to share the information about the status of Nepali students and other Nepalis living in Bangladesh.

"The Dhaka-based Nepali Embassy has been regularly in touch with local authorities, college administration and Nepali students regarding their safe stay, security and other assistance as required", the minister said.

The situation evolving due to the recent developments in Bangladesh has affected Nepali students living there, she said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also made proper arrangements for them to stay there safely and return to Nepal if needed. Minister Rana said that the Embassy has been instructed to make necessary coordination for the safety of students living there and facilitate their travel for those who want to return to Nepal.

On Sunday alone, 115 Nepali students had returned home by air and 305 through Kakadbhitta border point. Foreign Ministry officials welcomed 57 Nepali students who returned home on Sunday morning at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

A 'help desk' has been set up at the Ministry and a responsible office has been designated for necessary coordination, the minister further shared. The Nepali Embassy in Dhaka has been keeping regular contact to assist Nepali students after the news of their issues due to the recent developments in Bangladesh.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1,200 students have returned home from Bangladesh till Sunday. The local students in Bangladesh have been protesting against the quota system in employment set by the government.

The Tanka Prasad Acharya Memorial Foundation organized a discussion program on Friday titled “Prisoners of Bhutan Unseen by the World.” During the event, Ram Bahadur Rai, Madhukar Magar, and Man Bahadur Magar, who were imprisoned for 32, 30, and 20 years respectively, shared their harrowing experiences of life in prison and the challenges they face post-release.

These former prisoners have no identity or permanent place to live, and their families have been torn apart. They are unable to live happily due to the severe torture they endured. “I felt like a bird flying out of a cage when I was released from prison,” said Ram Bahadur, 63. He spent half his life in prison without seeing any family members, although he eventually reunited with his daughter. However, his two sons, who went abroad, are still missing.

Man Bahadur, who was released before Ram Bahadur and Madhukar, also shared his experience. As an unidentified refugee, he said, “We suffered a lot as there is no foundation in the camp.”

Madhukar is currently alone, as his wife and children were resettled in the US. He expressed happiness that people were listening to him but also shared his pain from the injuries inflicted by the Bhutanese authorities. “We don’t belong to Bhutan, India, or Nepal. Where should we go?” Madhukar asked. “There is no one to support us in this situation. If we consider treatment today, it feels like we might live a few more years.”

These prisoners were transferred from Bhutanese jails in India to Nepal. Similarly, in the 1990s, Bhutanese refugees were allowed to reach Nepal through India, but many staying in refugee camps in Jhapa were not permitted to return to Bhutan.

Representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, activists, and others expressed their concern after hearing the stories of the Bhutanese prisoners. “As a Nepali, sitting here today is a shame, and the situation of the Nepal government should not be like this,” said human rights activist Charan Prasai. Another activist, Subodh Pyakurel, added, “Bhutan is a terrifying, autocratic country. According to international law, no one can be deported. It is evident from the letter given to them by Bhutan that they have been deported.”

Sanchahang Subba, secretary of the Refugee Management Committee of the Bhutanese refugee camp in Beldangi, highlighted the painful situation of being in a state of anonymity due to the government’s policies, despite receiving humanitarian assistance.

Nepali Congress (NC) President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the NC and the CPN-UML, the two major political parties, aspire for a stable and strong government.

Backing a proposal put forth by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the House of Representatives (HoR) session, seeking a vote of confidence, Deuba said the formation of the present government aims to promote stability, achieve rapid economic development, create jobs, and accelerate physical infrastructure development. The proposal was presented in accordance with Article 76 (4) of the Constitution.

It may be noted that the NC and UML formed a new political equation recently, leading to the formation of the government led by UML Chair Oli last Sunday.

According to the NC President, the constitution's amendment is a usual procedure in democracy and the consensus of all parties will be sought provided that the constitution is amended ahead. 

"It has been eight years since the promulgation of the Constitution. It is a usual process to amend the country's main law in democracy if it is warranted to strengthen the constitution. We are clear that it will be appropriate to proceed with the amendment through the wider dialogues and consensus at the political parties."   

He hoped that the new government would be able to accelerate economic activities and establish a durable peace by dispelling economic slowdown. "It will give priority to creating job opportunities within the country, scaling up revenue collections, and meeting the people's aspirations for development."

 Underlining the need for steering the nation towards good governance by preventing corruption, the NC President pledged to promote the rule of the law, full enforcement of the constitution, build an investment atmosphere, increase domestic production, and create jobs.

Terming Prime Minister Oli as a hardworking, studious, and experienced leader, he said the members of his cabinet are also competent. "I hope under the guidance of the Oli-led government, the nation will find a path to prosperity. The government formed to take the country towards political stability will succeed in its mission. "   

He said the NC is fully committed and will remain so regarding the implementation of the July 1 seven-point agreement reached with the UML.  He said the party would give a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Oli, urging other political parties in the parliament to support the Prime Minister.

Bagmati Province Chief Minister Shalikram Jamarkattel resigned from his post on Sunday.

Addressing the Provincial Assembly meeting on Sunday, Chief Minister Jamarkattel announced that he would hand over the resignation to Bagmati Province Chief Yadav Chandra Sharma.

Province Assembly Speaker Bhuwan Kumar Pathak gave time to Chief Minister Jamarkattel on the no-confidence motion soon after the meeting began.

Speaker Pathak postponed today's meeting until further notice.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli made public the seven-point agreement signed between the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress.

He informed the Parliament about the seven-point agreement while presenting his motion to seek a vote of confidence at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday.

According to the agreement, UML Chair KP Sharma Oli said that he will lead the government for two years in the first phase and then hand over power to NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba to conduct the 2027 elections, he said.

Prime Minister Oli said that an agreement has been made to give priority to the necessary amendments to the Constitution and for the formulation of laws for political stability.

Nepali Congress President Deuba and UML Chairman Oli had signed the seven-point agreement.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 61.61 points to close at 2,485.94 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 13.53 points to close at 449. 68 points.

A total of 41,195,534-unit shares of 315 companies were traded for Rs 15. 23 billion.

Meanwhile, United Modi Hydropower Ltd. (UMHL) and Samata Gharelu Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SMATA) were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Sikles Hydropower Limited (SIKLES) was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 94 trillion.

The CPN (Maoist Center) has decided to play the role of a major opposition in the Federal Parliament.

A meeting of the party's Parliamentary Party held at Singha Durbar today made the decision to this effect. The meeting agreed to raise issues of public concerns 'effectively' in the Parliament.

According to CPN (Maoist Center)'s Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey, the meeting decided to vote against a proposal scheduled to be presented before the House of Representatives by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to seek a vote of confidence today.

Former Prime Minister and party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal apprised the meeting about the latest political developments in the country and the 'role of lawmakers' in the Parliament.

Art is beautiful. It can liven up a space like nothing else. It’s a great conversation starter as well as a charming focal point. A piece of large artwork or several small pieces displayed interestingly has the power to lend your home a cozy, nice, and elegant vibe at the same time. But the fact is art is expensive. It can be an investment but, unless you invest in pieces by world famous artists, most artworks you can buy in the local market will only get you meager profits, that too in the very long run. But you want to adorn your home with art or create an interesting focal point on one of the walls. What can you do that doesn’t break the bank? We’ve some alternatives for you.

Frame posters and maps

Postcards, posters, and maps of places you have visited or one that is on your bucket list can be interesting to hang on your wall. Consider framing some postcards of places you have visited. Get similar frames to give them a cohesive look. You can also frame an interesting poster or a tube map for a unique touch. Best of all, you can get most of these items for free when you are traveling.

Pro tip: Fabrics come in a variety of colors and patterns. Consider framing a large piece of fabric in an interesting pattern—thinking animal prints or motifs—to give your space a pop of color.

Have a paint party

Buy a huge canvas and some paints, invite your friends over for brunch, and have a paint party. Everyone can work on a single piece, painting different areas of it. Or each person can just do their own thing to create something totally unique. You will have a fun time and end up with something that has a story behind it to display in your home.

Pro tip: Get individual canvases for your friends and let them all paint whatever they want. They can each then choose to gift their artwork to another person in the group so that everyone goes home with something lovingly made by a friend.

Make a collage

A collage is a great idea to display fun memories without cluttering your space. Get a big piece of chart paper and stick everything—from photos, ticket stubs to greeting cards and magazine cutouts that you would like to see every day to remind you of happy times or inspire you—on it. Stick to a color theme, if possible, to match the aesthetics of your space and also to prevent it from looking too messy.

Pro tip: You can also make a photo collage on Photoshop and get that printed and framed. Make sure the resolution is large enough so that the photos don’t come out too pixelated.

Hang plates, hats, or rugs

Get some inexpensive hangers or sticky hooks and rather than letting your plates collect dust, hang them on your wall. They add texture and dimension while letting you play around with different patterns and colors. If you have a rug that is just too pretty to be put on the floor or an old one that you want to save, hang it at eye-level to give it the attention it deserves. Alternatively, if you are a hat person, hang your collection up on the wall. It’s practical and pretty.

Pro tip: Buy inexpensive trays, coasters, or mats from the local market and consider hanging these on the wall. Since they come in a variety of patterns and colors and don’t cost much, you have the option of changing them up from time to time to change the look of your space.

Display pressed flowers

Framing dried flowers, plants, or leaves add a light and airy feeling to any room. It also lends it a calming effect. Plus, you will have added a little bit of greenery to your space without taking on the responsibility of tending to plants. A gallery wall of assorted framed botanicals is an inexpensive but unique way to decorate your home.

Pro tip: Get some epoxy resin and put pressed flowers on wooden coasters. Hang about a dozen (or more) of these in an interesting pattern on the wall.