A fresh wave of protest is brewing in Nepal’s stock market. Led by investor Dipendra Agrawal, the “Walk Kathmandu” campaign is preparing to push the Nepal Securities Board (SEBON) to address long-standing market concerns.
Rising Investor Frustration
Investors are unhappy with falling market trends and the lack of policy reforms. Agrawal’s group has already submitted an 18-point demand to SEBON, urging changes for stronger, more transparent, and long-term growth in the capital market.
Protest plans after tihar
Agrawal warned that if SEBON does not address their demands, the movement will officially begin after Tihar. The planned activities include marches, sit-ins, and relay fasts starting from Kartik 14.
“We have clearly shared our demands with SEBON,” said Agrawal. “If they continue to ignore us, we will announce a step-by-step protest plan.”
Demands made
The 18-point petition focuses on modernizing and improving the market:
- Free entry and exit for Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) in the secondary market
- 50% reduction in broker commissions
- Removal of restrictions on banks selling shares bought for six months
- Introduction of derivatives, intra-day trading, short selling, and real-time settlement
- Better tax policies for short- and long-term investments
- More IPO transparency and investor representation in SEBON and NEPSE boards
Other demands include promoting new investment tools, stopping IPOs for low-value companies, and expanding access to brokers.
Agrawal emphasized that while dialogue is still possible, investors are ready to take to the streets if SEBON does not act. “We want to negotiate, but if our voices are ignored, we will have no choice but to escalate,” he said.
Investors are pushing for policy intervention, transparency, and reforms to stabilize the continuously declining market.
