Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Dr. Vishwo Paudel has approved the promotion of eight deputy directors to the position of director (Officer First Class), ending a long-pending promotion process within the central bank.

The decision comes after growing internal pressure and visible employee protests during NRB’s 71st anniversary celebrations. Employees had expressed dissatisfaction with the governor’s leadership style and boycotted official events. Protesters also displayed black banners at the main gate, chanting slogans against what they described as “irresponsible behavior.”

According to a notice issued by the Human Resource Management Department, the promoted officials include Samjhana Dhakal, Navina Dhakal, Sanjeev Kumar Jha, Suman Neupane, Pushpa Adhikari, Mohan Poudel, Kamal Prakash Kalathoki, and Shikha Adhikari (Regmi).

Earlier, the central bank had restricted media access during the event, allowing only government-affiliated outlets, reportedly to avoid potential protests being publicly broadcast. This move was criticized within the institution, with allegations of an increasingly restrictive and authoritarian working style.

The promotion process had been delayed for a long time, drawing criticism from employees. It was previously stalled due to election-related codes of conduct and foreign visits by senior officials. The process has now been concluded following mounting internal pressure.