Anil Tiwari
Birgunj

It has been revealed that the Chinese Embassy distributed old bicycles in Madhesh. A week ago, Chinese bicycles were distributed in Birgunj Metropolitan City, the only metropolitan city in Madhes. While the bicycles appeared new and shiny, students have alleged that their parts are old and of poor quality.

In coordination with Birgunj Metropolitan City, the China Foundation for Rural Development’s Nepal office distributed bicycles to students at Shree Narsingh Secondary School in Ward No. 15. The distribution event was attended by Chinese Embassy Consul Wang Xin as a special guest and Birgunj Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Imtiyaz Alam as the chief guest. A total of 200 bicycles were distributed during the event.

However, some students have complained that the bicycles contain old and substandard parts. A student from Narsingh School said, "The bicycle looks new, but the brake wires break easily, and the ball bearings are old, causing frequent breakdowns. When I took it to a mechanic, he said it looked like an old bicycle repainted. We were excited about getting new bicycles, but now we are disappointed."

A teacher at the school confirmed that while not all, some bicycles had quality issues, as reported by students. However, the former chairman of the school management committee, Ramnarayan Kurmi, claimed that all the bicycles distributed were brand new.

Recently, the Chinese Embassy has been increasing its activities in Madhesh, engaging in trade initiatives and launching social and educational programs. As part of these efforts, they have been distributing school bags and bicycles to students. The Chinese Embassy reportedly started the bicycle distribution program after seeing the popularity of a similar initiative by the Madhesh Provincial Government. However, allegations of distributing old and low-quality bicycles in the first phase have cast a shadow over their subsequent distribution programs.

Birgunj Metropolitan City, Madhes