Flag making business increases as anti-government demonstration peaks in Nepal
Dec 31, 2020
By Binod Prasad Adhikari
Kathmandu [Nepal] January 1 : As the nation is busy protesting against the unconstitutional move of Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to dissolve the parliament, Munni Shah is busy making flags that rise high during these demonstrations.
Inside the streets of Kathmandu, Shah along with her husband, daughter and two other helpers are struggling to prepare flags for protests that are being staged on daily basis across the country.
"We prepare a large number of political party flags on a daily basis. The number ranges from four to five thousand as we try to make as many as possible. After the announcement of the election dates, we have been very busy. We don't even have time to eat food also," Munni told ANI.
After the Prime Minister announced the decision to dissolve the lower house on December 20, anti-government protests broke out across the country. Cadres of various political parties have been placing orders from various districts of the Himalayan Nation to make flags for their respective parties that have resulted into making flag-making business flourishing in Kathmandu.
"Orders for making flags have surged from 10 to 12,000 units after the latest development since last week. I will keep some as stock and sell them as the party demands for it, with the frequency of sales, I would make more and keep the stock ready," Kailash Shah, who has a printing press told ANI.
With elections announced for next spring, flag makers like Shah are expecting a high influx as it is the main time for their business to operate round the clock without any break.
"I am now waiting for the election, in case it takes place on time; then the demands would again peak and I will have to deploy about 30 to 35 workers to meet the demand. I get orders for flags from Terai, Hill and Mountainous districts and from all parties," Kailash said.
Not only that of political parties, but Shah has been making national flags whose demands also run high during the protest as groups that separate themselves from political parties also are hitting the road.
With election fever yet to set-in, the business of flag making would further flourish in creating employment in the post-lockdown situation. Small-sized flag cost nearly Nrs. 10 in the Nepali market in the current scenario which would continue to rise with the arrival of the election season.
