The Urgent Task of Rebuilding Trust

Following the Generation Z–led street protests on Monday and Tuesday against rising corruption and the ban imposed by the then KP Sharma Oli government on several social media platforms, Nepal has been attempting a slow return to normalcy since Wednesday.

This youth-led movement may be one of the most sensitive uprisings in Nepal’s modern history. In just two days, it rattled the country’s political establishment. Traditional parties have been sidelined—at least temporarily—while politically unaffiliated young people have taken the “driving seat” of national politics. Yet, the nation remains in a fragile state.

The government’s heavy-handed response cost at least 30 lives and left hundreds injured. Public and private properties were set ablaze, vandalised, and looted. This wave of violence forced the government to deploy the army and impose a nationwide curfew and prohibitory order.

Who Protects the Nation’s Property?

The crisis has raised a critical question: who is responsible for safeguarding public and private property? Businesses and entrepreneurs with no direct link to the protests became victims of destruction.

Buildings—whether government offices, private factories, or hotels—are more than structures; they are national assets. When a factory burns, thousands of jobs are threatened. When a hotel is destroyed, tourism and foreign currency earnings suffer. Attacks on telecom towers or car showrooms not only damage infrastructure but also erode investor confidence—both domestic and foreign.

As Kamalesh Kumar Agrawal, President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, remarked: “Whether public or private, property ultimately belongs to the nation. Destroying it means harming ourselves. In the current situation, there is no alternative—protesters and stakeholders must reach a settlement soon and begin the rebuilding process.”

Investor Confidence Takes a Hit

For a country like Nepal, which urgently needs job creation and foreign investment, such incidents are damaging. Reflecting on the attacks on hotels and other private businesses, Shashi Kant Agrawal, Chairman of Kathmandu Marriott, warned: “Businesspeople will now feel extremely unsafe about operating in Nepal. This fear will not be short-lived—it will linger for a long time.”

His concern is not just emotional but rooted in investor psychology. Global investors prioritise two fundamentals—political stability and security. Images of parliament buildings on fire, vandalised multinational company offices, and looted car showrooms have made international headlines, sending a negative signal worldwide. This will inevitably make foreign investors think twice before coming to Nepal.

Fear in the Business Community

Members of umbrella organisations such as FNCCI, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, and CNI say they are under immense pressure. “This movement targeted businesspeople from all communities. Private properties and enterprises were attacked. This has killed hope within the business community and created fear,” said CNI President Birendra Raj Pandey.

A disrupted business environment affects far more than profits—it weakens job creation, tax revenue, production, and supply chains. The urgent question is: how does Nepal move forward?

Dialogue and Political Stability

The President must immediately open dialogue with the protesting youth, ideally in the presence of legal experts. Such talks may have started, but there is little public information about their progress.

Private sector representatives should be included in these discussions. Corruption—one of the protests’ key concerns—also implicates businesses. Bringing the private sector into a joint mechanism could help make anti-corruption efforts more effective. Delay would be costly for the country.

Property Protection Must Come First

Just as protecting citizens’ lives is essential, protecting their property is equally critical. The government needs a clear strategy.

Security forces must not only focus on crowd control but also protect industrial zones, markets, hotels, and offices. Maintaining the morale of police and military personnel is just as vital.

Reconstruction and Compensation

The government must acknowledge its failure to protect private property and create a special compensation fund for affected business owners. This fund should pool contributions from government, private sector, and international development partners.

Rebuilding Trust with Investors

The attack on Ncell’s headquarters and other foreign-invested businesses has rattled overseas investors. But there is an opportunity hidden in the crisis. If corruption can be tackled and governance made rules-based and merit-driven, Nepal could use this moment to rebuild both its economy and its reputation.

This will require high-level engagement—from the future prime minister’s office to the Ministry of Industry—to directly reassure investors with concrete security guarantees.

Looking Ahead

Nepal has witnessed many waves of protest in its history. While some are inevitable, each one offers lessons. The right to speak out against corruption must be protected, but when protest turns destructive, it threatens the entire nation.

The private sector, too, must show sincerity in fighting corruption. This episode should be seen as a wake-up call. The duty to protect national assets must be shared by politicians, security agencies, businesspeople, journalists, and citizens alike.

Nepal’s economy needs three things most—investment, jobs, and trust. These will only be achieved when the private sector is given both safety and respect.

Business leaders may feel demoralised, but despair is not an option. This is the time to turn crisis into opportunity and unite to create a new investment climate. Internal rifts within the business community have weakened its influence—now is the time to show a renewed commitment to nation-building.

Entrepreneurs must prove they are not merely profit-seekers but partners in shaping Nepal’s future.

Conclusion

Burning property, vandalising infrastructure, and damaging the nation will never bring solutions.

It is time for the government, private sector, and civil society to work together to create a new environment—one where investors feel secure, businesspeople can operate with confidence, and the youth can channel their energy into building, not breaking, the nation.