Biratnagar: Chinese national arrested for retail fraud as monsoon shuts schools
Authorities in Biratnagar arrested a Chinese national who had entered Nepal on an IT investment visa but was instead running a retail outlet through a Nepali proxy, exposing a pattern of commercial fraud that regulators say is growing in the city. The same week, the metropolitan administration closed all schools for two days amid extreme monsoon flood warnings, and internal dissent rocked the Nepali Congress over alleged suppression of mandatory Dalit seats in a local ward convention.
Chinese National Arrested at Central Mall for Running Retail Store on IT Visa
Morang Police, working with the Commerce, Supply and Consumer Interest Protection Office, arrested Chinese citizen Jingxian Xie from Yono Mart inside Biratnagar's Central Mall on the evening of September 24, 2026. Xie had entered Nepal on a business visa by claiming he would invest in the IT sector and develop software, but was instead found operating a retail shop registered in the name of a Nepali citizen to circumvent Nepal's prohibition on direct foreign retail operations. The joint inspection team initially apprehended him for conducting sales without issuing tax bills, thereby evading PAN and VAT obligations. Deeper investigation revealed a wider network operating under the cover of foreign investment provisions. The administration sealed the shop immediately following the arrest. Local business owners have long raised concerns about foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, bypassing Nepal's investment framework to engage in small retail trade that directly competes with Nepali merchants. The case has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of visa category conditions and for the government to publish clearer guidance to local commerce offices on identifying misuse of foreign investment visas for prohibited retail activity in cities like Biratnagar. [2]
Biratnagar Metropolitan City Closes All Schools for Two Days Amid Flood Risk
Biratnagar Metropolitan City ordered the closure of all schools operating within its jurisdiction for September 24 and 25, 2026, citing forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall issued by Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for the period between September 24 and 27. The decision was announced by the Metropolitan City's Educational Administration Division, which cited multiple hazards posed by the expected rainfall: rising water levels in local streams and rivers, inundation of roads and residential areas, and the risk of students being stranded or injured during commutes. Schools were also directed to designate structurally sound buildings as emergency shelters for community members displaced by flooding. The closure reflects Biratnagar's increasing vulnerability to monsoon events, with the city's low-lying eastern Terai geography making it especially susceptible to flash flooding during the late monsoon period. Officials emphasized that student and community safety took priority over academic continuity, and indicated that catch-up arrangements would be made following the return of normal weather. National weather data cited by the division showed the extreme rainfall risk extended across much of Nepal for the four-day forecast window. [7]
🗳️ Nepali Congress Ward Convention in Biratnagar Sparks Dalit Representation Dispute
A ward-level convention of the Nepali Congress in Biratnagar's Ward No. 3 has erupted in controversy after a published list of 26 open-category regional representatives showed that all 26 individuals selected were from Khas-Arya or other non-Dalit communities. A dissident faction within the party alleges that three seats mandated by the party constitution for Dalit community representatives were quietly transferred to the open category, effectively locking Dalit candidates out of representation in order to protect the positions of influential senior local leaders. The allegation pits the party's constitutional commitment to inclusive representation against an informal culture of patronage and factional influence that critics say has long afflicted Congress ward bodies. A local Congress leader confirmed that the Dalit quota was removed, framing it as a deliberate act by those seeking to consolidate power rather than uphold the party's stated values. Dissatisfied members have made the dispute public, increasing pressure on the party's Biratnagar leadership to either revisit the selection process or face a formal internal complaint to higher party structures. The episode highlights how representation guarantees on paper can be eroded through procedural manipulation at the local level. [8]
🏢 New Bridge Raises Hopes for Direct Biratnagar-Barahakshetra Road Connection
A newly constructed bridge in the region has revived prospects for a direct road link between Biratnagar and Barahakshetra, a major Hindu pilgrimage site at the confluence of the Koshi and Arun rivers in Koshi Province. The Himalayan Times reported that the bridge is expected to serve as a cornerstone of a long-planned corridor that would significantly cut travel time for pilgrims, traders, and residents moving between Biratnagar and Barahakshetra. The route has been a priority for communities on both ends for years, but funding gaps and engineering challenges delayed progress. Infrastructure development in eastern Nepal has historically lagged behind the Kathmandu Valley, and the Koshi Province government has identified road connectivity as a central development priority. Local authorities and transport operators welcomed the bridge as a meaningful step forward, while cautioning that the full road link will require additional construction, land acquisition, and government budget commitment. For the tens of thousands of pilgrims who visit Barahakshetra annually, a direct road from Biratnagar would transform what is currently a lengthy and difficult journey into a manageable day trip, with significant downstream benefits for the local tourism and hospitality economy. [6]
Sources: [2] Ratopati · [7] english.onlinekhabar.com · [8] Ratopati · [6] The Himalayan Times