The ensuing demonstrations turned violent in Kathmandu and some other cities in Nepal, with 19 protesters dying in clashes with police on Monday.
Nepal’s Minister for Communication Prithvi Subba told the BBC later that day that police had had to use force – which included water cannons, batons and firing rubber bullets.
Some protesters managed to breach the perimeter of the parliament building in Kathmandu, prompting police to impose a curfew around key government buildings and tighten security.
On Tuesday, protesters also set fire to parliament in the capital Kathmandu, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Government buildings and the houses of political leaders were attacked around the country.
At least three people were reported to have been killed on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to at least 22 since the unrest began.
Many of the injured have been taken to local hospitals where crowds have gathered. BBC Nepali spoke to doctors who said they had treated gunshot wounds and injuries from rubber bullets.
Police have said several officers were also wounded, with casualty figures expected to increase.
On Tuesday evening, Nepal’s army chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, issued a statement accusing demonstrators of taking advantage of the current crisis by damaging, looting and setting fire to public and private property.
If unrest continued, the statement said, “all security institutions, including the Nepal Army, are committed to taking control of the situation.”
At the same time, Gen General Ashok Raj Sigdel invited protesters to engage in dialogue to find a solution to Nepal’s worst unrest in decades.