Our Reporter The first meeting of the Eminent Persons Groups (EPG) comprising diplomat from Nepal and India concluded last week without entering the issue of closing the open Nepal-India border. Many people in Nepal have been demanding closure of the open border between Nepal and India citing that the open border has increased the risks of terror attacks and other criminal acts and they have expected that the EPG meeting would discuss the issue. In the aftermath of terrors’ attack in Dhaka of Bangldesh, many have warned that Nepal and India will face similar attacks if the open border between Nepal and India are not managed properly. But the EPG meeting did not include the issue in its agenda. However, the diplomats of both the countries agreed to review a gamut of bilateral issues including the treaties and agreements since the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The EPG  was formed after the Nepal-India relations reached the lowest following the promulgation of the new constitution in Nepal in September 2015 to take stock the overall aspects of Nepal-India relations and to recommend for improvement in the relations. The EPG group included four members each from India. Former Minister Dr Bhekh Bahadur Thapa led the Nepali team while   Bhagat Singh Koshyari led the Indian side.