KATHMANDU: A young entrepreneur from Sindhupalchowk involved in import and supply of Chinese goods in the Nepali market has committed suicide at frustration when his goods got stuck in Nepal-China border for months.
According to an official at the Metropolitan Police Circle Baneshwor, Hare Ram Poudel 35 has committed suicide in his Pepsicola-based residence on October 13 under stress that the financial transaction worsened as the containers with his goods got stuck at Chinese border for months.
Poudel had been in the business for more than 7 years and had seen good days prior to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak last year.
“Although we are investigating to find out causes for his sad demise, what’s clear from the primary investigation is that Poudel had been in stress at getting the containers with his goods stuck in Chinese border,” the investigating officer said, “He had been going through the financial crisis as the banks and moneylender had been seeking their money paid back.”
His goods are lying in the border for nearly 11 months.
“The entrepreneurs are in double trap, their goods are lying in the border for many months and the banks and other moneylender are demanding the instalment or the dues cleared on regular basis,” Nawaraj Timalsina, the Chairman of Nepal Trans-Himalayan Border Commerce Association shared the grief of the people of his circle, “Our friends are under much stress, and some have taken to suicide as well.”
Not only this is the transaction with China turning a debt trap for many people as the fare for the storehouses and transportation has been hiked by Chinese side abruptly.
The businessmen who were excited when China decided to open the border formerly shut due to coronavirus pandemic outbreak, are sad to see the slackness on the Chinese side in coordinating with the transportation of the goods. Transportation for nearly 24 km costs nearly 1.2 million rupees.
The people who agreed to pay for the high charge in the hope that the goods will be delivered before are shocked to see that it may take months for them to get their goods delivered here in Nepal.
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