Small Business Owners in Lahan Protest Against Management of Local Market

Small business owners in Lahan Municipality-5, Siraha, have protested against the commencement of a modern commercial building construction at the local market with a budget of NPR 44.1 million. When Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary arrived for the foundation stone laying ceremony for the market management project, business owners disrupted the event with slogans and protests. Businesswoman Gudiya Khatun expressed concerns about displacement, stating, “We want the first option.” Meanwhile, the mayor assured that a solution would be reached through dialogue.

The Lahan Municipality’s initiative to modernize and upgrade the market has sparked unrest among local traders. The mayor’s event for laying the foundation stone of the market management and construction work on Thursday was interrupted by protesting business owners. The municipality planned to build a commercial building at the site with a budget of NPR 44.1 million.

When Mayor Chaudhary arrived for the ceremony, the protesting business owners raised slogans and created a tense atmosphere, forcing the mayor’s team to leave without completing the foundation-laying. Following this, angry traders and locals staged protests and blockades in Lahan’s new market area, objecting to the decision to construct the structure without providing any viable alternatives to current occupants.

Longtime small traders at the market have voiced fears of displacement following the municipal tendering for the new building construction. Protest leader Gudiya Khatun stated, “We want the first option. After the municipality builds the grand structure and awards the tender, where will we, the small business owners, go? Until our livelihood is secured, we will not allow the project to proceed.” Lahan’s market is considered the oldest, largest, and busiest in the district, with significant market days every Monday and Friday. Mayor Chaudhary has pledged to resolve the dispute through negotiations.