Bandh

For other uses, see Bandh (disambiguation).

A bandh organized by the Garo National Council in Goalpara, 2013
A bandh in Nepal, organized protest against a rise in fuel prices

Bandh (Hindi: बंध, बंद, romanized: bandh, band, lit. 'closing; shutting down') is a form of protest used by political activists in South Asian countries such as India and Nepal. It is similar to a general strike. During a bandh, a political party or a community declare a general strike.[1] For example, a Bharat bandh is a call for a bandh across India, and a bandh can also be called for an individual state or municipality.

The community or political party declaring a bandh expects the general public to stay at home and not report for work. Shopkeepers are expected to keep their shops closed, and public transport operators are expected to stay off the road. There have been instances when large cities have been brought to a standstill.[2] A bandh is a form of civil disobedience.[3]

  1. ^ "Will Bharat Bandh shut Mumbai down on Thursday?". NDTV. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Bengaluru to shut on Bharat Bandh". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Bharat Bandh on May 31 against UPA's petrol bomb". Yahoo News. Retrieved 30 May 2012.