Bhatbhateni owner offers half his wealth to state, seeks urgent relief for business revival

Kathmandu: Businessman Min Bahadur Gurung, founder of Bhatbhateni Supermarket, has told Prime Minister Sushila Karki that he is ready to hand over half of his personal wealth to the state if necessary, while urging the government to provide immediate relief and security to help revive businesses devastated by the Gen-Z protests.

During a discussion with business leaders on Sunday, Gurung stressed that no Bhatbhateni employee would lose their job despite the heavy damages. He also assured that staff would still receive Dashain bonuses.

According to a participant in the meeting, Gurung presented two proposals to the Prime Minister: first, that 50 percent of the insurance claims for damages be paid out immediately to allow businesses to restart operations; second, that he was personally prepared to contribute half of his total assets to the state if required.

The Gen-Z demonstrations on September 8–9 caused an estimated Rs 15 billion in losses to Bhatbhateni, with 12 outlets, including central warehouses, set ablaze and nine others looted or vandalized. The supermarket chain directly employs around 10,000 people across the country. Gurung spoke for seven minutes during the meeting, emphasizing employee security and financial recovery.

The government, too, is preparing to announce a relief package for businesses hit by the protests. A task force comprising officials from the Finance Ministry, Nepal Rastra Bank, and the Insurance Authority has recommended immediate measures. Based on these suggestions, the Cabinet is expected to approve a relief package on Monday.

The proposed package includes:

Tax relief through extended filing deadlines.

Payroll protection to ensure employees of affected businesses continue receiving salaries.

Concessional loans with interest subsidies for firms struggling to pay wages.

Loan restructuring and rescheduling through the central bank.

Relaxation of loan-to-value ratios for the auto sector, which suffered severe losses.

Insurance support, with provision for 50 percent of assessed claims to be paid upfront upon submission of preliminary damage reports.

The government hopes the package will help stabilize private sector operations, protect jobs, and ease the financial burden on businesses as they attempt to recover from the unprecedented disruptions.