Tourism entrepreneurs have called upon all concerned sides to put a permanent ban on bandhs (general strike) closures as such protests were ruining the national economy.

They made this appeal at an interaction program organized here in the capital on the first day of the weeklong Nepal bandh called by Maoists on sunday.

Tourism entrepreneurs also opined that it was high time everyone defied such general strikes from now onwards.

“We have to understand that a bandh takes a very heavy toll on the tourism sector. We must collectively prohibit bandhs,” said Tek Bahadur Dangi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board.

Dangi strongly urged the Maoists to withdraw the bandh immediately.

Tourism was picking up pace in recent days. But, this bandh has dealt a severe blow to all the positive developments, he complained.

Chairman of Nepal Rafting Association Surya Joshi drew the attention of all political forces in the country to the fact that the tourism sector was in a critical stage and bandhs only aggravated the problems of tourism entrepreneurs.

Chairman of Tourist Guide Association Bishnu Gyawali said the tourism sector has become the ultimate victim of bandhs and conflict in the country, adding, “Thousands of jobs have been threatened by such bandhs. This situation must end now.”

Maoists called week long bandh to disrupt the municipal poll slated for Wednesday.

Meanwhile speaking at a programme in the capital Sunday, leaders of various political parties and Human Rights activists have said that the Nepal bandh called by the Maoists targeting the municipal poll of Wednesday has no relevancy.

Leader of Nepali Congress Dilendra Prashad Badu, Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of CPN UML and Man Mohan Bhattrai of NC (Democratic) claimed that there was no need of the Bandh to make the municipal poll a failure as it was already become a failure.

They urged the Maoists to immediately call back the bandh respecting people’s aspiration.

The alliance of seven agitating political parties is also actively boycotting the municipal poll.