SEBON staff left without pay during Tihar

Right before Tihar, employees of Nepal’s Securities Board (SEBON) are struggling without their salaries. The people who regulate the stock market are now themselves facing financial hardship.

For nearly a month, SEBON employees have been on protest, demanding justice after what they call an unfair decision by the Finance Ministry. Their strike, which includes a “pen-down” movement, has brought most office work to a halt. Ironically, that has now hurt them too—no salaries could be processed this month.

The dispute began after the Finance Ministry sent a letter on Ashoj 2, ordering the closure of SEBON’s long-standing welfare and security fund. The ministry also asked employees to return the benefits already received from the fund. SEBON staff call this move discriminatory, saying many other government offices still have similar funds running.

Despite repeated appeals, the Finance Ministry has not listened. Instead, it has warned of possible action against employees, citing directives from the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). Workers say they feel cornered and unheard.

Because of the strike, SEBON’s routine operations have stopped completely, delaying salary disbursement right before Tihar. A source said senior officials might manage without much trouble, but junior staff are under serious financial stress.

SEBON currently employs 96 people, and none have received their salary for the month of Ashoj. One protesting worker shared, “We are fighting for justice, but now we can’t even celebrate Tihar. If the government asks us to return our past salaries too, we don’t know what to do.”

The employees have vowed not to end their protest until their demands are met. For now, their festive season is clouded by uncertainty and frustration.