Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has asked the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to extend the deadline for first quarter installment payment until the second quarter-end, stating the ongoing strikes in the Tarai have badly affected industries and businesses. An FNCCI team led by its President Pashupati Murarka met NRB Governor Chiranjeevi Nepal on Wednesday and requested the deadline extension for the payment of principal and interest of trust receipt loans, other short-term loans, and demand loans until mid-January.The apex private sector body also asked the central bank to make a provision that banks and financial institutions concerned would not impose penal interest for the deferral of the loan repayment deadline. The Terai region has remained closed for the last one and half months due to the banda organized by various Madhesh-based parties and organizations. Almost all industries operating in key industrial corridors from Bara-Parsa to Sunsari-Morang have remained closed.The shutdown of industries, transportation, trading, export-import and educational institutions has caused losses of billion of rupees, according to the FNCCI.