Meter Byaj Victims and Government Reach 9-Point Agreement

Kathmandu. The 9-day-long protest against meter byaj has finally come to an end. The protest was called off after a 9-point agreement was reached between the meter byaj victims and the government on Friday.

As per the agreement, the government will declare meter byaj as an economic crime and announce its complete elimination in the upcoming cabinet meeting. This will automatically make all fake tamasuk, dhrishtibandhak, chhinuwa pass, and mandatory checks invalid and void.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will prepare a draft of a special bill within 3 months and create a law to control meter byaj, which will include a separate tribunal to hear cases, return of the victim’s property, and guarantee of fair compensation.

According to the agreement, when verifying transactions at the ward office, it will be mandatory to provide proof of the source of the money and bank transactions, and strict action will be taken against those who invest money obtained through crime or corruption in meter byaj.

The new law will consider the following actions as crimes: creating fake documents with inflated amounts, adding interest to the principal amount, not repaying the loan, charging excessive interest, threatening, physically and mentally abusing, forcing the borrower to sign blank checks or documents, and seizing property.

Forensic lab tests of documents, investigation of the source of property, and investigation of money laundering will be conducted to investigate meter byaj cases, and the court will expedite the hearing of cases to provide justice to the victims.

A high-level coordination committee will be formed under the coordination of the Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Council of Ministers to address the grievances of the victims, and a separate desk will be set up.

A simplification committee will be formed at the district level under the coordination of the Assistant Chief District Officer (including 3 representatives of the victims) to settle all complaints within 6 months, which will be monitored by a committee led by the Chief District Officer.