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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has briefed the Parliament about his impending official visit to Thailand and his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

Addressing a meeting of the House of Representatives today, he said that Nepal's prime minister is making an official visit to Thailand for the first time after 65 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

PM Oli is paying an official visit to Thailand from tomorrow, Tuesday.

Prime Minister Oli said that this visit would be significant in the context of no official visit having taken place to Bangkok, which is the 'gateway' for Nepalis to countries other than the immediate neighbouring countries.

During the visit, PM Oli will hold meetings with the King of Thailand and his Thai counterpart. Two MoUs related to tourism and culture will be signed during the visit.

Similarly, six MoUs will be signed between the non-governmental sectors in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

On the occasion, PM Oli said that he would hold discussions with eminent businessmen of Thailand and address a programme to be organized at the Asian Institute of Technology.

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to address the BIMSTEC Summit on April 4. Similarly, according to PM Oli, he will hold sideline talks with the leaders of the member countries coming to participate in the Summit as far as possible.

New Road-based Glue Star Media Solutions has become the fifth weekly winner of the annual subscription campaign, “Jasle Padchha, Awasya Parchha” launched by Annapurna Media Network across the country.

In the weekly lucky draw held at the Tinkune-based headquarters of Annapurna Media Network on Monday, Glue Star Media Solutions with receipt number 1806-81 became the winner.

Head of Sales and Distribution Department of Annapurna Media Network had picked the name of Glue Star Media Solutions from the lucky draw.

As a winner, the Glue Star will receive the Oppo A3X mobile.

Readers renewing their subscription or becoming new annual subscribers to Annapurna Post and The Annapurna Express will receive guaranteed gifts upon subscribing.

The annual subscription fee for both newspapers is set at Rs 3,400 each.

Annual subscribers will receive a voucher worth Rs 1,500 for Wonderland, where they can enjoy thrilling games, as well as a movie voucher from INI Cinemas.

Alternatively, subscribers can opt for scratch cards offering cash discounts ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,400, along with INI Cinemas movie vouchers and tickets for Annapurna Cable Car.

The campaign also offers exciting weekly and monthly prizes. Weekly lucky draw winners will receive OPPO mobile phones and Rs 5,000 vouchers for Tranquility Spa.

Monthly winners will be rewarded with washing machines and Rs 5,000 Tranquility Spa vouchers. The campaign, which is valid nationwide, will run for four months.

The cold storage warehouse built in Susta Rural Municipality-4, Nawalparasi, during the tenure of the previous local representatives remains unused due to a lack of planning and preparation. Constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 50m, the facility has yet to serve its intended purpose.

The provincial government invested Rs 37m in the project, while the rural municipality contributed Rs 14.4m, bringing the total investment to Rs 55.2m, according to Susta Rural Municipality Officer Bishnu Prasad Dhakal. The storage facility has a capacity of 1,000 metric tons.

Intended for storing potatoes and onions, the cold storage has become a burden on the rural municipality, where sugarcane and bananas are the primary crops. Only a small number of farmers grow vegetables commercially, and most of their produce is consumed in the local market. The prospect of farmers from outside the municipality using the facility is also slim.

Located about 30 km from the highway, the municipality does not attract many traders. This has raised concerns among locals about why such a large investment was made despite the clear lack of agricultural demand for cold storage.

To encourage the production of potatoes and onions, the rural municipality launched a subsidy program this year. A budget of Rs 1m was allocated for potatoes and Rs 4m for onions. However, farmers have shown little interest. Given this lack of response, authorities are now considering leasing the facility to private traders.

“The cold storage has remained unused for a long time, and the rural municipality cannot operate it either. Now, the only option is to find traders and lease it to them,” said Teknarayan Upadhyay, chairperson of the rural municipality. He added that the storage facility, built without long-term planning, is difficult to bring into operation.

“Our main crops are sugarcane and bananas, yet the facility can only store potatoes and onions. Without suitable agricultural produce, it is unlikely to be used. Why was such a significant investment made in the first place?” Upadhyay questioned.

Local residents argue that the provincial government wasted public funds by failing to assess the feasibility of the project before investing in it.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a financing package of USD 150m for Nepal’s Third Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program (BIMP-III).

The support is to help strengthen the resilience of bridges in the Strategic Road Network, ensuring safer and uninterrupted connectivity across the country’s diverse and challenging terrain.

Nepal’s bridge system serves as critical lifelines connecting remote and urban communities to essential services, including healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Vulnerabilities caused by frequent climate-induced disasters such as floods, landslides, and earthquakes severely affect the bridge infrastructure. 

The program, led by Nepal’s Department of Roads, will focus on climate-resilient measures such as enhanced structural designs and innovative technologies, including real-time monitoring systems to safeguard bridges against extreme weather events. The program will also support bridge designs prioritizing accessibility for all users, connecting marginalized communities to vital services, according to a press release issued by the Bank.

Meanwhile, Division Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka David Sislen has said the resilience of Nepal’s bridge network is fundamental for safe and sustained connectivity. This program emphasizes resilient infrastructure development and promoting access to markets and services for vulnerable communities while promoting Nepal’s sustainable growth.

The program includes capacity-building initiatives for the Department of Roads, promoting innovative solutions and strengthening institutional systems for effective infrastructure management.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that the then King Gyanendra Shah who is involved in criminal activities will not be spared.

He said that while speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday.

Saying that pro-monarchy protesters had committed a criminal act on March 28, the Prime Minister said that the former King will not be spared.

“Those involved in the criminal activities will not be exempted from punishment. The former king also will not be spared,” PM Oli said.  “Shouldn't those who say they will become the King again and destroy the system make their views public on all these incidents?” he questioned.

The Prime Minister said that the administration was informed that two political programs will be held in Kathmandu on March 28, highlighting that they would be peaceful.

“The Socialist Front under the leadership of the political parties which have good presence in the Parliament held a demonstration in a grand manner. They made public their views, warned the government and expressed their commitment to the system and Constitution,” he said, adding,” The demonstration was peaceful and I would like to thank the organizers. I believe that this is the way to strengthen our federal democratic republic.”

ALSO READ: Attack on Annapurna Media Network evokes widespread condemnation

He went on to say that the venue at Tinkune was given to another group to hold the protest. “But there was suspicion and confusion about who the organizer was. There were grounds for suspicion about the objectives of the program. The confusion was that among the organizers, there were some leaders of the political parties present in the House,” the executive head of the state said.

“The organizers did not hold protests like they said to the administration. The crowd began to stage the demonstration in a different form and started chanting slogans against the government. The administration tried to control the mob, but they assaulted police personnel, snatched their weapons and even robbed a departmental store,” PM Oli added.

Two persons including a photo journalist at Avenues Television Suresh Rajak died during the violent demonstrations in Tinkune.

The protesters vandalized media houses- the Annapurna Media Network and Kantipur Television. They also set on fire the office of Annapurna Post. Glasses of windows in the buildings were broken in the incident.

They not only caused damages to the media houses and private properties, they also tried to set fire to the airport and attacked police vans and a fire engine which came to put out the fire, he said.

“All of these acts are condemnable. Stern action will be taken against those involved in the such incident no matter who they are,” the Prime Minister added.

He claimed that the former King was responsible for all the incidents.

PM Oli accused the then King Shah of violating the agreement reached after the historic decision of the Constituent Assembly.

At that time, it was agreed that the former King Shah would be allowed to live a peaceful life as a citizen, conduct business activities by exercising the legal and constitutional rights of the citizen, and provide security as the head of the state, the Prime Minister said.

It has also been agreed that he will be allowed to use the Nagarjuna Palace and the building in the Narayanhiti Palace that his mother is using.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Oli said that an investigation has already been started into those involved in the criminal activities and to identify the mastermind behind the violent protests in Tinkune.

Meanwhile, while addressing the Parliament, he warned the lawmakers of Rastriya Prajatantra Party to not engage in destroying the Constitution, reminding them they took the oath of office and secrecy from the same Constitution.

Stresing that now is the time to protect the Constitution, safeguard the rights of the people achieved througha  huge struggle and sacrifice and its successful implementation, the Prime Minister said that the entire House should be united for the same.

“We have heard that various activities are being carried out against the system, democracy and the Constitution. The entire society should be serious at this critical time,” he said.

ALSO READ: A grave attack on press freedom

Gold price has set a new record in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of precious yellow metal has increased by Rs 1, 100 per tola and is being traded at Rs 177, 900 per tola. It was traded at Rs 176, 800 per tola on Thursday.

Likewise, the price of silver has increased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 2, 035 per tola.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to address the House of Representatives (HoR) under the federal Parliament today.

Prime Minister Oli will address the House meeting scheduled to be held at 11 am at the Parliament Building, New Baneshwor on Monday.

CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula informed that PM Oli is scheduled to address the House at the beginning of the meeting.

It is believed that the parliamentary deadlock due to protest from the main opposition party will end with the PM's address.

Today's meeting is scheduled to pass five important replacement bills with discussion.

In the agenda of the HoR, PM Oli is scheduled to address the issues related to violent agitation of the royalists last Friday and the dismissal of Kulman Ghising from the executive director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

The meeting is scheduled to table the 'Banking Offences and Punishment (Second Amendment) Bill-2080' with the message received from the National Assembly.

Similarly, President of the Infrastructure Development Committee of the HoR Deepak Bahadur Singh is scheduled to submit the committee's report on water resources bill-2081 BS.

President of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee Ammar Bahadur Thapa is scheduled to present the committee's report on the 'Shaheed Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences Bill-2081 BS'.

Likewise, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasia will present a proposal in the National Assembly seeking consideration of the Nepal Council of Legal Practitioners (Second Amendment) Bill- 2081 BS.

Similarly, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak is scheduled to present a proposal to send the Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill-2081 to the concerned committee for clause-wise discussion.

Section 177 of the National Criminal Code Act, 2017, states, “No one shall intentionally kill another person or engage in or cause any act that results in death.” However, on Friday, in the name of a pro-monarchy protest in the Tinkune area, a journalist filming the demonstration was killed by setting the building where he was in on fire. One protester also died.

The Annapurna Media Network (AMN) office was deliberately set ablaze while journalists and staff were working inside. Not only that, private homes were torched and commercial establishments looted. Government offices and vehicles were burned and destroyed.

Destruction was unleashed and criminal activities were carried out under the guise of protest. Legal experts state that seven different laws apply to those engaged in those criminal activities. These include crimes against the state, homicide, attempted murder, arson-related offenses, theft and robbery, and organized crime. 

Police are arresting those involved in the anarchic demonstrations held under the pretext of restoring the monarchy. Cases are being prepared against them. According to police, criminal incidents occurred in Kathmandu’s Tinkune area during a protest led by supporters of former King Gyanendra Shah even though permission was obtained for a peaceful demonstration under the coordination of Nawaraj Subedi and leadership of Durga Prasai. During the protest, private properties, hospitals, media houses, political party offices, business centers and vehicles were vandalized, set on fire, and subjected to other violent acts. During the protests, 52 Nepal Police personnel and 32 Armed Police Force personnel were injured. Thirty-five protesters injured in the course of the protests are receiving treatment in various hospitals.

Senior advocate Satish Krishna Kharel said that criminal acts appeared to have been committed by groups frustrated or dissatisfied with the current system. He said the police should collect CCTV footage and other evidence for investigation.  

Senior advocate Tikaram Bhattarai said violent actions in the name of demonstrations are unacceptable. “The participation of disorganized and anarchic mobs in the protest have led to disastrous consequences. This protest is against constitutional order and the entire constitutional system—it is a crime against the state,” he added. “Since former King Gyanendra Shah appears to have directed these activities, he should be held legally accountable.”

 Police have so far detained over 51 individuals accused of involvement in illegal criminal activities, with further investigations underway. Kathmandu District Police Range has informed the Parliament Secretariat that House of Representatives member Dhabal Shamsher Rana of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has been arrested on criminal charges. Senior RPP leaders including Rabindra Mishra and Swagat Nepal have also been detained.  

Bhattarai said that the government must investigate crimes such as homicide, offenses against the state, destruction of public property, attempted murder and arson.  

The government is preparing to take strict legal action against those who damaged private residences, offices and other properties unrelated to the protest’s cause. Officials from the Office of the Attorney General said they are preparing to prosecute based on the most applicable charges, with at least half a dozen offenses likely to apply.  

Senior advocate Kharel, who is also a criminal law expert, said that the mob’s mentality was clearly riotous. “It appears that a group of individuals frustrated with the current system gathered. Evidence such as CCTV footage must be collected to file cases against each perpetrator accordingly,” he added. 

Potential charges   

Legal experts state that those who systematically attacked, set fires, vandalized, and looted media houses, public and private properties, offices, and businesses could face at least half a dozen charges. 

Charge no. 1: Crimes against the state  

The constitution mandates that every individual must abide by its provisions. Since the protest involved killing a journalist and attacking security personnel, it qualifies as a crime against the state. 

Charge no. 2: Homicide   

Section 183 of the National Criminal Code Act, 2017, criminalizes attempted murder with intent, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 100,000. 

Charge no. 3: Attempted murder  

If a life was not lost but the intent to kill existed, attempted murder charges can be filed. 

Charge no. 4: Arson-related crimes   

Protesters set vehicles on fire, including one belonging to a parliamentary official, and burned other properties. Authorities imposed a curfew in affected areas following increased arson incidents. 

Charge no. 5: Theft and robbery  

Protesters forcibly entered the Bhatbhateni Supermarket in Kotewshwar and looted mobile phones, clothing, alcohol and other goods. 

Charge no. 6: Organized crime  

Vandalism occurred at the law firm of advocate Raj Kumar Suwal. Protesters also stoned the home of CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Senior advocate Bhattarai said the protest was against constitutional order and the entire constitutional system—a crime against the state. He said former King Gyanendra Shah should be held responsible for the incidents. 

The killing of a journalist and terrorizing the media, businesses and the public has been widely condemned. The Federation of Nepali Journalists, Nepal Bar Association, and Nepal Chamber of Commerce, among others, have demanded immediate legal action, compensation for damaged media houses, and enhanced security for journalists, lawyers and businesspersons. They have also called for a thorough investigation into the inhumane incidents and strict legal action against the perpetrators.