Neighborhood News Digest – 20 March 2023

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: OIC to send Islamic scholars to Kabul, will discuss women’s rights with Taliban – Firstpost

With women’s rights in Afghanistan suffering a major setback under the Taliban, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has decided to send a team of scholars to discuss women’s right to education and work with the current regime in Kabul. According to a report by TOLOnews, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced the team of scholars on the first day of the international Muslim body’s meeting in Mauritania. Click here to read... [2]

Over 2,000 Afghan refugees return back from Iran, Pakistan – Devdiscourse

Over 2,000 Afghan refugees had returned back to their nation from Iran and Pakistan, Taliban appointed Refugees and Repatriation department announced, according to Khaama Press. Taking to Twitter, the Refugees, and Repatriation department, on Saturday, said that 1851 Afghan refugees from Iran and 331 others from Pakistan returned home through Spin Boldak and Islamqala crossing points. Click here to read... [3]

Funding drought forces UN food agency to cut rations in Afghanistan – United Nations News

The UN food agency in Afghanistan announced on Friday that a lack of funds has forced deep cuts to life-saving assistance in March for at least four million people. The World Food Programme (WFP) appealed for urgent funding for its operations in the country, where families are battling crisis after crisis, including growing hunger, since the Taliban takeover of 2021. Catastrophic hunger could become widespread across Afghanistan, and unless humanitarian support is sustained, hundreds of thousands more people will need assistance to survive, the agency said in an alert. Click here to read... [4]

ISIS hideouts in Balkh province targeted in substantial strike: Taliban – Devdiscourse

Taliban security forces targeted ISIS hideouts in Mazar-e-Sharif and called it a substantial strike against insurgents, said Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid on Saturday, reported Khaama Press. On Saturday, Mujahid wrote on Twitter that special operations by Taliban security forces against ISIS militants had begun in Mazar-e-Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh. Click here to read... [5]

How the current great-power competition helps the Taliban in Afghanistan – ORF

The Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan is a new geopolitical reality that the world is still grappling with. Over the past year, the Taliban has continued its quest for diplomatic recognition with varying degrees of success. While most countries have shied away from affording the group any status of political normalcy, others such as Iran, Russia, and China, pushed by new challenges to the global order, have engaged with the group with more fervour and pragmaticism as the Ukraine Crisis split traditional diplomatic arrangements down the middle. Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh

PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina Inaugurate India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline - NDTV

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, a cross-border energy pipeline, via video conferencing. While addressing the event, PM Modi said, "I am confident that this pipeline will further speed up the development of Bangladesh and be an excellent example of the increasing connectivity between both countries." This is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh, built at an estimated cost of ₹ 377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline was built at a cost of approx. ₹ 285 crore, which has been borne by the Govt of India under grant assistance, read Prime Minister's Office press release. Click here to read... [7]

Bangladesh’s first submarine base starts operation Monday – Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh is set to operationalize its very first submarine base with modern basin facilities for the Navy at Pekua of Cox's Bazar to provide safe jetty facilities to submarines and warships at the harbour. Built at a cost of $1.21 billion, the base can accommodate a total of six submarines and eight warships at a time. It will allow for safe and swift movement of the submarines in case of emergency, as the base is located at the Bay of Bengal. Click here to read... [8]

BNP delegation attends dinner hosted by Indian envoy – Dhaka Tribune

The BNP delegation, led by party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir went to the Indian envoy's Baridhara residence around 7:30pm, said party's media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. The Indian high commissioner invited the BNP delegation to attend the dinner, he added. The other members of the BNP delegation are its standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo and Organising Secretary Shama Obaed. Click here to read... [9]

Dhaka wants to know West Bengal's plan for Teesta -

Dhaka has sent a note verbale to Delhi, seeking to know about West Bengal's plan to withdraw water from Teesta river for irrigation and hydropower projects, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said yesterday (Sunday). Last Thursday, State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque said the Joint River Commission already prepared a letter to be sent to India soon. The river issues may also be raised at the UN-2023 Water Conference, to be held at the UN headquarters in New York on March 22-24, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told journalists the same day. The issue came to the fore after The Telegraph newspaper on March 13 reported that the West Bengal government decided to set up three hydropower projects in Darjeeling hills, risking further offence to Dhaka, which has been waiting for more than a decade to sign a treaty for sharing Teesta's waters. Click here to read... [10]

Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda charged in Niko graft case

Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others were charged with corruption in Niko graft case on Sunday. The judge of the Dhaka Special Judge’s Court 9, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, also posted for May 23 the formal commencement of the trial with recording testimonies of the prosecution witnesses. The court passed the order at a makeshift courtroom at Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj in the presence of three accused—former energy and mineral resources secretary, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, former senior assistant secretary CM Yusuf Hossain and businessperson Gias Uddin Al Mamun. Click here to read... [11]

Bhutan

More than 100,000 register for postal ballot services – Kuensel

The voter turnout for the National Council (NC) elections for this year could decrease drastically. Going by the past elections records of the Council and National Assembly elections, voter turnout increased gradually with the facilitation booth and mobile booth services. The record shows that half of the voter turnout included voters who had cast their votes through facilitation booth, mobile booths, and postal ballots. Click here to read... [12]

‘Bhutan tourism to hit 2019 levels in 3yrs’ – Mint

Bhutan, closed to outsiders for the better part of 2022, will offer incentives to visitors to try and boost the tepid inflow since the Himalayan kingdom reopened its doors to tourists in September, a top official said. Click here to read... [13]

India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan’s benefit from friendship pipeline – The Sentinel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina may inaugurate the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline on 18 March via video-conference. This is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh, built at an estimated cost of INR 377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approximately INR 285 crore, has been borne by the Government of India under grant assistance. Click here to read... [14]

Maldives

India, Maldives hold fourth defence cooperation dialogue in Male – Business Standard

India and the Maldives conducted the 4th Defence Cooperation Dialogue (DCD) in Male on Sunday and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral defence engagements, while agreeing to increase the complexity of existing exercises. The dialogue was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and his Maldivian counterpart, Chief of Defence Force, Maldives National Defence Forces Major General Abdulla Shamaal. This DCD is the highest institutionalised interactive mechanism between the two countries. Its significance in chartering the future course of relations between both the Armed Forces was highlighted by the importance given to the talks by the two nations. Click here to read... [15]

"India Is Special For Maldives": Island Nation's India-First Foreign Policy - NDTV

Underlining the fact that Maldives' foreign policy is based on "India first", Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid on Friday described the relationship with India as "special" and said that Indian leadership internationally has been outstanding, adding that New Delhi established itself by supporting and assisting countries at the time of need. He went forward and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and quoted his statement that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly stated that the G20 is not only the 20 countries sitting around the table." "For Maldives, India is special. Our foreign policy is based on India first for reasons I've told you before-we've no enemies but are friends to all," Abdulla Shahid said while speaking to ANI. Click here to read... [16]

Post election, our good relations with India will continue: Maldives Foreign Minister – Guardian

The Maldives, the strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago nation, is heading for its presidential election in September this year. Opposition parties in the Maldives are trying to whip up the “India Out” campaign amid a fractious political landscape. In an exclusive interview, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid talks at length about India-Maldives ties, and addresses India’s concerns on China and threats of growing radicalism, among other issues. Click here to read... [17]

Myanmar

How China Prolongs Myanmar’s Endless Internal Conflicts - Jamestown

While the people of Myanmar continue to suffer, China has exploited the situation for its economic benefit. Trade and investment with China undermine Western sanctions, help fund the Tatmadaw (the Burmese Army), and prolong the war. China has ignored international arms embargoes in order to provide arms to the Tatmadaw, including a submarine. At the same time, Myanmar is helping Russia to bypass international sanctions in order to purchase fighter jets, armored personnel carriers, and truck-mounted rocket launchers from Moscow. Click here to read... [18]

Bangladesh-Myanmar Military Partnership’s Impact on Rohingyas – The Citizen

A reportedly confidential memo from a high-level meeting of Myanmar's junta has revealed that the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya insurgent group, was the target of a deadly crackdown by a joint effort of the armed forces of Myanmar and Bangladesh. Although previous accounts of the memo highlighted internal dissent against the Myanmar government, the newly revealed minutes also expose the hitherto undisclosed partnership between Bangladesh and Myanmar in addressing the issue of ARSA. Click here to read... [19]

Elements from Myanmar involved in drug business in Manipur: CM – The Print

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said that elements from neighbouring Myanmar are involved in narcotic business in the state and that the government will continue its war against the drug menace. The chief minister’s statement came after the state police seized 20.26 kg of poppy seeds, four two-wheelers used in Myanmar and took into custody two youths in Old Boljang village in Kangpokpi district. “At a time when the government machinery is actively engaged in destruction of poppy plantations, the recovery of poppy seeds meant for sowing of poppy plants and employment of vehicles brought from the neighbouring country has shown that anti-social elements are challenging the administration and the people,” Singh said. Click here to read... [20]

Nepal

Nepal PM to face floor test, eyeing comfortable majority - Mint

Within three months of the formation of the government, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is set to take the second round of vote of confidence on Monday, eyeing a comfortable majority. Dahal, also chairman of the third highest seat-holding party- Maoist Center in the parliament, came to power garnering the support of CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) led by KP Sharma Oli along with other small parties. Click here to read... [21]

Nepal’s Vice President-elect to be sworn-in tomorrow – The Print

Nepal’s newly-elected Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav is scheduled to take the oath of office and secrecy on Monday at 10 am (local time), the President’s Office announced. According to the Nepal President’s office, the oath-taking ceremony has been scheduled at 10 am on Monday at the President’s residence, Sheetal Niwas. Click here to read... [22]

President Droupadi Murmu speaks to new Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel – The Tribune

President Droupadi Murmu spoke with her Nepal counterpart, Ram Chandra Paudel, over telephone on Friday and congratulated him on assuming office. Both Presidents also discussed ways to further advance bilateral cooperation and hoped ties would reach greater heights. TNSClick here to read... [23]

Nepal, India agree to formulate modality to supply electricity to Indian states via Bihar – News on Air

A meeting of the Nepal-India Power Exchange Committee is to prepare a modality for power export from Nepal to other states of India through a central transmission line via the Bihar grid. The 14th meeting of the Committee concluded on Friday in New Delhi, India, and decided to prepare the modality of power to be exported by Nepal within a month. This will assure an additional market for the sale of Nepal’s surplus electricity during the rainy season. Click here to read... [24]

Pakistan

40,000t wheat supplied by Russia to Pakistan stolen by govt officials – The Economic Times

As many as 67 senior government officials in Pakistan have been suspended and issued show-cause notices for allegedly stealing wheat worth billions of rupees supplied by Russia as a humanitarian gesture, people familiar with the development said.

Beijing asks bankrupt Pakistan to release dues for CPEC power firms – Business Standard

The Chinese embassy in Islamabad has asked Pakistan to release overdue payments to the tune of $1.5 billion to Chinese Independent Power Plants (IPPs) working under the mega $64 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The embassy also asked the embattled country to loosen forex restrictions which pose a hurdle in coal imports due to which Chinese power plants in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh are not working optimally. Click here to read... [25]

Pakistan effort to curb trade deficit leading to crisis of rising unemployment – The Economic Times

Pakistan's effort to curb trade deficit by restricting imports is rapidly morphing into a bigger crisis of rising unemployment, according to a report. Official data on unemployment is sketchy at best on the issue but by taking the listed companies as a proxy for what's happening in the rest of the economy, the trend becomes crystal clear. Click here to read... [26]

Saudi Arabia tells Pakistan: No more easy money – Middle East Eye

Saudi Arabia's decision to refuse to provide any further bailouts or interest-free loans to Pakistan has left the government in Islamabad in shock and has prompted the finance minister to complain that even friendly countries aren’t keen on helping Pakistan out of its economic emergency. Pakistan is in dire need of sustained US dollar inflows to avoid defaulting on nearly $80bn of international loan repayments over the next three and a half years. The country is currently sitting on just $3bn in foreign exchange reserves. Click here to read... [27]

Pakistan Army hands 45,000 acres for 'corporate agriculture farming' – Business Standard

The caretaker government of Punjab has signed an agreement to hand over at least 45,267 acres of land in three districts, Bhakkar, Khushab, and Sahiwal to the Pakistan Army for 'Corporate Agriculture Farming', Dawn reported. According to a document, the military's land directorate wrote to the Punjab chief secretary, Board of Revenue and secretaries of the agriculture, forest, livestock and irrigation departments for handing over of 42,724-acre land in tehsils Kaloor Kot and Mankera in Bhakkar, 1,818 acres in tehsils Quaidabad and Khushab in Khushab, and 725 acres in tehsil Chichawatni of Sahiwal. Click here to read... [28]

Sri Lanka

IMF to approve $2.9 bn bailout package for Sri Lanka: Central bank governor – Business Standard

Sri Lankan central bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe told media on Sunday that the country's "dollar crisis" is over, as the IMF is set to approve a $2.9 billion bailout package for the country on Monday. He said Sri Lanka will hence have adequate foreign reserves for imports for essential sectors, adding that the IMF package will boost investor sentiment and enhance the country's access to more foreign funds and investments, Xinhua news agency reported. The IMF package will include budgetary support to Sri Lanka's government, which is a new element in IMF lending, he added. Click here to read... [29]

Local Councils’ term to end in Sri Lanka tonight amid uncertainty over polls – The Print

The four-year term of the 340 local councils in Sri Lanka is set to end on Sunday night, but the polls monitoring groups feel that the local body polls fixed for April 25 are unlikely to happen. The local body polls, which were earlier scheduled for March 9, got postponed to April 25, due to the country’s current economic crisis and the government’s position that election is not a priority for spending scarce resources. Rohana Hettiarachchi and Manjula Gajanayake from two polls monitoring groups charged that the government remained disinterested in holding the election. Click here to read... [30]

19 officers of Indian armed forces reach Sri Lanka for week-long strategic study tour – NewsOnAir

Nineteen officers from the three services of the Indian armed forces have reached Sri Lanka today. The delegation arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo today. The Officers are on a week-long strategic study tour under the 46th Higher Air Command Course. The delegation consists of selected officers under training for Senior Command and Staff Appointments from the three services. During the visit, the Officers are scheduled to visit and interact with Sri Lankan Naval Command, Coast Guard and Air Force. The visit serves as an opportunity to further strengthen India’s defence partnership with Sri Lanka. Click here to read... [31]