Diktel: Diktel bazaar, the bustling trade center of Khotang district, is set to host Nepal’s first-ever national bamboo conference from February 27 to 29, 2025. The Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi municipality is spearheading this initiative with the aim of harnessing bamboo as a means to generate local employment and industry.
According to National News Agency Nepal, this landmark event is anticipated to play a pivotal role in establishing bamboo-related industries, thereby creating job opportunities for the youth and spotlighting indigenous skills and knowledge. Bamboo, abundant in Nepal and traditionally used for fodder, firewood, and household items, will be the focal point of discussions among researchers, entrepreneurs, university educators, and local youth.
To ensure the conference’s success, a coordination committee has been formed, led by Ganesh Shah, a former Minister for Forest, Environment, and Technology. The municipality is actively seeking collaboration with various associations, while internatio
nal participants involved in bamboo research and enterprise are also expected to attend.
Mayor Tirtharaj Bhattarai of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi municipality revealed that preparations began seven months ago, with the next executive meeting set to finalize the estimated costs and event logistics. The conference will feature presentations, bamboo product stalls, and working papers, all under the theme ‘Where there is life, there is bamboo.’
The conference was originally slated for mid-October but postponed due to natural calamities. The decision to host it in Diktel was made in a gathering last May in Kathmandu, under the direction of KP Bhattarai, Chairman of the National Bamboo Research and Promotion Centre.
Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi, the largest local level in Khotang with 15 wards, is committed to prioritizing local resources for income generation. Bamboo products, such as furniture, have already replaced imported items in the offices of Mayor Bhattarai and Deputy Mayor Bishan Rai, underscoring the m
unicipality’s commitment to this versatile resource.
The conference is expected to bolster the promotion of bamboo, which is a vital component of both household and cultural practices in Khotang, an eastern hilly district of Nepal.