NFIEA celebrates 35th anniversary, advocates for workers’ rights & financial sector reforms

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Financial Institution Employees Association (NFIEA) celebrated its 35th anniversary with a vibrant Prabhat Pheri procession in Kathmandu on Friday.

The event, held at Bhirkutimandap in the capital, featured prominent figures, with Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, former Finance Minister and spokesperson for the Nepali Congress, serving as the chief guest.

The program was chaired by the association’s president, Padmaraj Regmi, with Sanjay Gautam, a Member of Parliament, attending as the special guest.

Other notable participants included Yogendra Kumar Kunwar, Chair of the Nepal Trade Union Congress, and former Chair Laxman Bahadur Basnet, who joined as distinguished guests.

During the event, the chief guest and other dignitaries shared their congratulatory remarks, highlighting the association’s role in advocating for the rights and welfare of employees in the financial sector.

The association called for the recognition of workers’ rights and demanded measures to ensure the safety and security of employees in financial institutions.

Their requests included halting attacks on banking and financial institution employees, guaranteeing full security within the financial sector, and ensuring the enforcement of labor laws related to working hours, rest, and safety.

Additionally, the NFIEA emphasized the need to increase the income tax exemption limit, declare the financial sector a “peace zone,” and eliminate the double taxation on social security contributions.

The association also urged the government to ensure workers’ representation in policy-making processes, end political interference, and fully implement labor laws.

They called for the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87, stressing the importance of fostering a harmonious industrial environment and controlling rising inflation.