2015 is a troublesome year for the Nepalese as a massive quake of 7.9 magnitude struck the country on April 25, followed later by the ethnic Madhes agitation and the fuel crisis.
The devastating quake, the worst natural disaster to hit Nepal since the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake, killed over 9,000 people, injured more than 23,000 others. It also destroyed property worth billions of U.S. dollars.
At a time when Nepal's new constitution drafting process was gaining momentum in July this year, four dissident Madheshi parties announced protest programs against th ongoing constitution drafting, arguing that the first draft of the new constitution did not address their concerns.
Even after the the official promulgation of the new constitution in September, the Madheshi parties refused to accept it by announcing fresh protests.
The prolonged unrest in the Terai region has so far claimed 50 lives so far, including eight police personnel, according to reports.
The 2015 Nepal blockage began in September, triggering an economic and humanitarian crisis in the country. The government of Nepal has accused India of imposing undeclared sanctions on it which has been denied by India.
As a landlocked nation, Nepal imports all of its petroleum supplies from India. The blockade choked imports of not only petroleum, but also medicines and earthquake relief materials.
As the year of 2016 is just around the corner, the Nepalese have pinned hopes on its northern neighbor China to revive trade, tourism and supply of fuel in the new year.
Rajesh Kazi Shrestha, chairman of the Nepal China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shared with Xinhua "2015 witnessed only losses in our business due to the devastating disaster and fuel crisis. As Nepal and China have already agreed to open seven new border points, I am hopeful that trade will flourish in a significant manner".
In November, Nepal and China agreed to open seven new trade points in Mustang, Gorkha, Sankhuwasabha, Dolakha, Humla, Mugu and Taplejung district. Both sides have already decided to operate the customs offices effectively after rebuilding the infrastructures.
Currently, these border points are used only for local trading purposes. Nepal has been using only Rasuwagadhi border point, some 150 km from the capital, for inland bilateral trade at the moment.
