Flip the coin

The September protests allowed Nepal to steer away from discredited leadership.

The recent Gen Z protests, initially orchestrated against the government ban on social media, bad governance and corruption, forced a government change—and it ultimately escalated into horrific violence. Triggered by the death of innocent young lives, the protests the next day saw unfathomable destruction of public and private property across the country. Initial assessment assumes a loss of around 4-5 percent of GDP during the protests. The unruly attacks on industries and business houses severely eroded private-sector confidence. Such a loss of confidence and looming fear could have a long-term impact on Nepal’s economy.