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Nepal’s private sector has said that the violent GenZ protests of Sept 8 and 9, which left government offices and private establishments vandalized and torched, have inflicted losses running into billions of rupees, setting the economy back by years.

Speaking at a discussion organized Tuesday by the Nepal Economic Journalists’ Association on the theme “The Road Ahead for Economic Recovery,” business leaders said the destruction has undermined investor confidence, shaken the foundations of industries, and halted incoming investments.

Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) president Birendra Raj Pandey estimated that the protests cost the economy around five percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “For investors, security of capital is fundamental. But the violent destruction of public and private structures has eroded confidence. The government must now step in with supportive fiscal and monetary policies to help businesses recover,” Pandey said.

He urged the government to design both short- and long-term recovery strategies, including special facilities for large industries. He also highlighted the need for reforms in education and improvements to laws that remain complicated and difficult to implement. According to him, the unrest has already stalled major joint-venture investments that were in the pipeline.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) vice president Hemraj Dhakal described the protests as a “massive setback.” The destruction of large public and private infrastructures, he said, has crippled the economy. “We are ready to rise from the ashes, but what is the guarantee that such destruction won’t happen again? The government must provide a security guarantee,” Dhakal said.

Former president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajendra Malla said the unrest has created an atmosphere of fear across the business community. He stressed that peace and security must be the government’s immediate priority and urged authorities to assure entrepreneurs that they need not fear operating in Nepal.

Malla also called for policies that would encourage youth to stay and work in Nepal rather than leaving for foreign employment. He identified startups, IT, artificial intelligence, and rural technology programs as areas where the government could foster growth. “Tourism has taken a severe hit, but Nepal can still brand itself as a safe destination if the government acts quickly,” he added.

Business leaders further warned that widespread informal transactions and the misuse of remittances have aggravated Nepal’s economic vulnerabilities. Unless structural reforms and effective utilization of resources are ensured, they cautioned, the country risks being pushed five to six years behind its development trajectory.

Insurance claims for damages incurred during the Gen Z movement have reached Rs 22.25 billion.

According to the Nepal Insurance Authority, the highest number of insurance claims is in Bagmati Province, with claims worth Rs 17.97 billion.

A total of 2,478 insurance claims have been filed in 18 insurance companies, including micro insurance companies. The number of claims may increase further due to the large amount of physical property damage. The claims for compensation for the damage, however, come only from the private sector, as government structures were not insured.

According to the details provided by the Authority, claims worth Rs 5.22 billion have been filed in Oriental Insurance Company alone. Similarly, Siddhartha Insurance has received applications seeking claims for damage worth Rs 5.08 billion.

Among the total applications seeking insurance claims, 538 applications were received for property insurance, 1,778 for vehicle insurance, 132 for engineering and contractor risk, 11 for transportation insurance, and 19 for other kinds insurance.

There is a possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today.

With the weather remaining generally cloudy throughout the country, moderate rainfall is likely at some places of Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces; at a few places of Lumbini Province and other hilly regions; and at one or two places of the remaining Tarai regions of the country, says the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

Tonight, the weather will remain generally cloudy in the hilly areas and mainly fair in the rest of the country. There is a possibility of moderate rainfall at a few places of the hilly regions of Gandaki, Lumbini, and Karnali Provinces, and at one or two places of the remaining Tarai regions of the country.

Non-banking assets of the banks and financial institutions have surged past Rs 50bn as bad loans rise and banks fail to offload collateralized properties. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, BFIs collectively held Rs 50.56bn worth of NBAs as of the first month of the current fiscal year i.e. mid-August. Commercial banks, development banks and financial institutions held Rs 7.69bn worth of such assets in mid-July 2021. It increased to Rs 10.52bn in 2022 and further to Rs 18.68bn in mid-July 2023.

NBAs nearly doubled to Rs 35.5bn in mid-July 2024 as the central bank withdrew facilities provided to borrowers as a relief during the Covid-19 pandemic. It increased further to Rs 50.55bn in mid-July this year.   Most of these collateralized properties are in the form of land and houses. 

Banking experts say non-banking assets are piling up as banks have not been able to auction off properties due to a lack of buyers amid slowdown in land and housing transactions. “Since there is a lack of liquidity in the market since the cooperative sector ran into trouble, banks have been unable to find buyers for land and houses under their ownership,” a banker said. “In such a situation, banks have no option but to keep collateralized properties under their books.”

As per the existing laws, banks must issue successive auction notices of 35 days, 21 days and seven days before starting the process of disposing off collateral. Banks can proceed with auction notices only if borrowers remain unresponsive to banks. Even after going through this lengthy process, banks are finding few buyers for land and houses under their books. 

Compounding the woes for BFIs is a provision in the Land Act, 2021, which requires banks, financial institutions and cooperatives to sell off foreclosed land within three years. With non-banking assets piling up, banks have been lobbying to relax this provision.

Bankers have long been calling for the formation of a ‘bad bank’ to take over their distressed assets. The High-level Economic Reforms Advisory Commission led by Former Finance Secretary Rameshore Prasad Khanal suggested to the government to form an agency to manage non-banking assets in the banking system.

Khanal has now been appointed as the Minister for Finance in the interim government led by Sushila Karki. The central bank has already drafted legislation to facilitate such a body and forwarded it to the finance ministry for approval. 

Besides time off from work and good food, Dashain is also when you are in the mood to give gifts to your family and friends. After all, what’s the holiday season without spreading a bit of cheer? But giving gifts can be stressful especially since it’s hard to know what the other person might want or appreciate. We have curated a list of things that might bring a smile on your friend’s face because these are thoughtful and practical. 

Pretty plants

We believe you can never go wrong with gifting plants. Choose a nice ceramic planter to go along with the indoor plant you have picked and that’s it. It doesn’t get easier than this. We especially recommend succulents in tiny pots if you have to give a bunch of gifts at the office. 

Puja essentials 

Visit your local store that sells items for religious rituals and create a customized packet of things that one might need during Dashain. You could include incense, a box of matches or a lighter, some colors for tika, and other random things. Pack these in a nice gift box and you are all set. 

Homemade cakes

Instagram has some really great recipes for scrumptious cakes that you can whip up in under 30 minutes. There are recipes for oven-less, flour-less healthy cakes as well. You can make a batch of these to give to friends and family. It’s personal and they will appreciate the effort.

Cute ceramics

Incense stick holders, candle stands, flower vase, and other little decor trinkets make for great gift ideas this holiday season. You can be sure that they will be used and the receiver will think about you every time he/she uses it. We recommend you browse through stores like Sana Hasthakala in Jhamsikhel or Dhukuti in Kupondole to get your hands on some delightful goodies. 

Dried flowers

Fresh flowers can get a little expensive during festivals and they are hard to maintain as well, especially when there are many other things to do. This is when a bouquet of dried flowers can be a lifesaver. You can make some yourself beforehand and give these out during the holidays. Most flowers dry nicely if you hang them upside down in the sun. 

Non-life insurance companies have received a total of 1,984 claims due to arson and vandalism during the GenZ protest in Kathmandu and different parts of the country on Sept 8 and 9. Government offices, business establishments and private homes were torched and vandalized after security personnel used excessive force to disperse protesters. A total of 74 people died in different parts of the country during the protest. Hotel Hilton Kathmandu has said that it alone suffered damages worth Rs 8bn.

Hundreds of government and private vehicles were torched and vandalized in those two days. According to the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA), the estimated value of these claims is around Rs 20.7bn. Fourteen non-life insurance companies and four non-life microinsurance companies have received claims for losses during the GenZ protest.

Seven companies have received claims worth more than a billion rupees each, while the rest have claims below that threshold, according to the NIA. The unusual circumstances created by the protests have placed heavy compensation obligations on insurers.

Among individual insurers, Shikhar Insurance has received the highest number of claims so far, with 366 cases amounting to Rs 2.39bn. However, in terms of value, The Oriental Insurance and Siddhartha Premier Insurance top the list. Oriental has registered 40 claims totaling Rs 5.14bn, while Siddhartha has logged 258 claims worth Rs 4.93bn.

Other major insurers by claim value include IME Prudential Insurance with 24 claims amounting to Rs 1.59bn and Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance with 233 claims worth Rs 1.47bn. Together, the top five insurers account for a significant portion of the total claims. Among microinsurers, Protective Microinsurance tops the list with nine claims totaling Rs 113m, followed by Star Microinsurance with six claims worth Rs 67m. Similarly, Nepal Microinsurance has received 15 claims worth Rs 56m, while Trust Microinsurance has the smallest exposure, with eight claims totaling Rs 42m.

An official at the NIA said the regulator has instructed insurance companies to ensure timely settlement of claims for policyholders affected by the exceptional circumstances.

Distraction doesn’t always come with noise. It doesn’t always pull you into  chaos. Sometimes, it comes gently through something beautiful, something  new, something that simply feels different. You may not even realize its  presence at first, but over time, it begins to erode your focus, disconnect you  from your roots, and lead you down a path where you slowly forget what you  once worked so hard to build. Distraction can kill you from the inside not  instantly, but gradually, and often quietly. 

Imagine a flower, deeply rooted in the soil. She has grown there, watered with  care, nurtured with love, strengthened by the patience of time and the hope of  sunlight. Slowly, she begins to bloom a result of all the effort, waiting, and  quiet resilience. But one day, as she stands tall in her garden, a gentle breeze  passes by. It brings with it the scent of freedom, the idea of movement, and a  taste of something the flower has never felt before. She sees butterflies float  by with such grace. She sees the sky not just above her, but as a dream she  longs to touch. She begins to wish to fly, to leave the stillness of the soil, to  wander in the wind. And so, she prays for the wind to take her, to carry her to  joy and freedom. 

When the wind finally comes, she is ready. Excited. Without thinking of where it  might lead, or what she might be leaving behind, she lets go—of her stem, her  leaves, her roots. She lets herself be carried by the breeze. And for a while, it is  beautiful. The feeling of lightness, of flowing freely without any weight, without  any responsibility. She feels seen by the wind, loved by its touch. She even whispers gratitude, saying, “You made me feel free. You reminded me what it’s  like to be alive.” The wind, in that moment, becomes everything she thought  she was missing.  

But in chasing that moment, in leaving behind her grounded life, she forgets  something important: the time it took to grow. The care it took to survive. The  foundation that made her bloom in the first place. The flower does not realize  that while the wind can carry her for a while, it cannot hold her forever. The  roots she abandoned were what made her strong , what gave her life. The  distraction ,sweet, freeing, seductive, pulled her away from herself, and by the  time she sees the truth, it may be too late. 

This is how distraction works in our lives too. It arrives in the form of things we  think we need: people, experiences, or moments that offer quick joy or a  temporary escape from our reality. But in following that fleeting feeling, we may  detach from what grounds us. We may leave behind values, discipline, peace,  or even love all in search of something more exciting. And while there is  nothing wrong with change or curiosity, it becomes dangerous when we  abandon ourselves in the process.

Distraction doesn’t always look like destruction. Sometimes, it looks like  freedom. And that’s why it’s powerful. But we must remember: not everything  that feels good will help us grow. And not every breeze that touches us is  meant to carry us away. 

Supriya Paudel  

BBM VI Semester  

United College

From the time they are young, girls are often told to “be a good girl.” At first, it sounds like a harmless phrase, maybe even a sweet reminder. But behind those words is a lifelong burden of expectations. Being a “good girl” comes with silent rules that decide how a woman should behave, speak, and even think. It is a label society uses to control women, shaping their lives around pleasing others rather than living freely.

In many cultures, including ours, the idea of a “good girl” is linked to how much a woman can fit into set boundaries. She is expected to be quiet, polite, modest, and obedient. She should dress a certain way, speak softly, and never challenge authority. The moment she steps outside these unwritten rules, she is quickly judged. People may call her rude, rebellious, or disrespectful. These words are not just casual comments. They bring real consequences like gossip, judgment, exclusion, or even violence. According to a 2019 UNICEF report, one in three girls worldwide experience gender-based discrimination or violence by the age of 18, highlighting the serious impact of these social expectations.

This pressure follows women at every stage of life. As a child, it could mean being told not to play rough games or talk too loudly. As a teenager, it might restrict her from going out with friends or expressing her opinions openly. As an adult, it often shows up in the form of limited freedom at work, in marriage, or in making personal choices. Many women grow up hiding their true thoughts and dreams just to avoid being labeled the wrong way.

The consequences of this pressure can be far-reaching. Women who do not conform to these standards may face social isolation, difficulty in career advancement, and challenges in personal relationships. Mental health issues such as anxiety and low self-esteem are common among women who feel forced to suppress their true selves to fit societal expectations.

But things are changing. Around the world, women are starting to push back against this outdated idea. They are standing up and saying that being a “good girl” does not mean being silent or submissive. A woman can be confident, ambitious, outspoken, and still be good. She can make bold decisions, follow her dreams, and question unfair rules. Being a good person should be about honesty, kindness, and respect, not about fitting into a narrow idea of how women should behave.

Social media and global movements have played a major role in empowering women to challenge these stereotypes. Platforms allow women to share their stories and support each other, creating communities that celebrate individuality rather than conformity. Campaigns focused on gender equality and women’s rights have brought these conversations into public spaces, encouraging both young girls and adults to rethink the old labels.

It is time for society to stop using words like “good girl” or “bad girl” to control women. Instead, we should teach everyone to be themselves, no matter their gender. Empowerment comes when women are respected for who they are, not for how well they follow someone else’s rules. This change has to begin at home, in schools, and in everyday conversations. Parents should raise daughters to be brave, curious, and strong. Teachers should encourage girls to ask questions, lead, and think for themselves. Communities should stand by women who choose a different path. Most importantly, women must believe in their own worth and stop waiting for anyone’s approval.

The world does not need more “good girls” who stay quiet out of fear. It needs women who know their value and are free to live life on their terms. The old idea of the “good girl” belongs in the past. The future belongs to women who refuse to let society define their identity.

Aarya Risal

BSW

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar