BIRGUNJ: Normal life in Birgunj of Parsa district is gradually returning to normal from today after an all-party and all-sides meeting resolved the dispute that had erupted between two communities of different social and religious backgrounds.
The District Administration Office (DAO), Parsa had imposed a curfew in Birgunj Metropolitan City for two consecutive days after tensions flared following a protest demonstration on Sunday. The curfew was lifted on Tuesday from 3:00 pm, after which shops began reopening gradually. Schools, markets and factories have resumed full operation from today.
Chief District Officer of Parsa, Bhola Dahal, said the situation in Birgunj is improving following a consensus reached at the all-party meeting held on Tuesday. He stated that the curfew was imposed from Monday amid concerns that communal tension could further escalate.
According to CDO Dahal, the curfew was enforced to maintain peace and security and to prevent any untoward incidents. He added that the administration’s priority was to restore normalcy in the area.
Since the lifting of the curfew, local markets have once again become busy and vehicular movement has resumed on the roads.
The unrest was triggered by a dispute between members of the Hindu and Muslim communities at Ward No. 6 of Kamala Municipality in Dhanusha district last Sunday. Members of the Muslim community staged protests the same day, alleging vandalism and arson at a mosque, while Hindu groups organized protests on Monday, accusing the other side of making offensive remarks against Hindu temples and deities.
The situation later escalated into clashes between protesters and police on Monday, prompting the local administration to impose the curfew.
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