Kathmandu, Sept. 16 -- Key customs offices in the south and north that bore the brunt of last week's anti-government protests-paralysing trade right ahead of the crucial festive season-have started to gradually return to normal.

Nepal's foreign trade, already grappling with global headwinds from US President Donald Trump's tariff hikes, has been passing through a rough patch. The northern border has been crippled by floods and landslides, while several customs offices along the southern frontier sustained damage during last week's violent protests.

For nearly a week, customs operations in the south were disrupted after protestors vandalised infrastructure and systems. Some customs points suffered major structural damage, while others fa...