Neighborhood News Digest – 17 April 2023

Bangladesh

Bangladesh: India opens its 16th Visa application centre in Kushtia – News On AIR

The High Commission of India opened its 16th Visa application centre in Kushtia town of Southwestern Bangladesh on Sunday. The inauguration of the new Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) was done by High Commissioner Pranya Verma. Member of Parliament from Kushtia-3, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, was also present on the occasion. Click here to read... [2]

Bangladesh's first green fertilizer factory built under China's BRI nears completion – English News

With machines roaring, the construction work of Bangladesh's Ghorashal-Polash Urea Fertilizer Project (GPUFP), set to be the country's largest and first-ever green fertilizer factory in South Asia, is nearing completion. More than 850 Chinese employees from the China National Chemical Engineering & Construction Corporation Seven Ltd. (CC7), in collaboration with its Japanese partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), have been working round the clock to complete the mega project as scheduled. Click here to read... [3]

Why Does Bangladesh Hold a Strong Position in India’s Neighborhood First Policy? - Geopolitics

As a portion of the development, Narendra Modi has sent the invitation to his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, to join him at the next G20 Summit on September 9-10, in which meeting, the two heads of state are anticipated to relish and exchange views regarding the present state and future trajectory of the relationship on the outskirts of the summit. In his wishes on Bangladesh’s Independence Day, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Indian External Affairs Minister, argued, “our multifaceted partnership is founded on shared sacrifices.” He also added that ‘Bangladesh would always remain a strong pillar of India’s Neighborhood First Policy.’ Click here to read... [4]

Maldives

"More needs to be done to promote local tourism” - Raajje

More work needs to be done to promote local tourism, says Minister of State for Tourism Dr. Ahmed Solih. Solih made the remarks while speaking at the 'Falasurukhee' program of RaajjeTV. The State Minister noted that there are still very few guest houses in some islands. Click here to read... [5]

Maldives: Journalists issued threats for story on politician and tourism mogul - International Federation of Journalists

Two senior Maldivian journalists were issued serious threats via phone and text on April 7 following the publication of an article about a high-profile arbitration case between a Maldivian tourism group and Hilton Worldwide. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in strongly condemning the threats against two respected journalists and calls on the Maldivian police for urgent measures to ensure the protection of media workers in the Maldives and the swift apprehension of the perpetrators. Click here to read... [6]

Myanmar

Assam Rifles apprehended two thieves at Indo-Myanmar border - Sentinel Assam

The Lunglei Battalion of Headquarter 23 Sector Assam Rifles, under the aegis of Headquarter Inspector General Assam Rifles (East), assisted police in apprehending two thieves" at the Indo-Myanmar Border on Saturday. On Saturday, Assam Rifles apprehended two thieves along the Indo-Myanmar Border who were trying to move into Myanmar after stealing a Kenbo bike. At Bungtlang police outpost (in the south), police informed Assam Rifles Company Operating Base Zorinpui that two individuals had stolen a Kenbo bike from village Bungtlang and were moving towards the Indo-Myanmar Border. Click here to read... [7]

Myanmar’s junta pardons over 3,000 prisoners for New Year -statement - The Print

Myanmar’s junta released 3,113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners, to mark the country’s traditional New Year on Monday, according to a statement from the military government published on pro-military Telegram channels. The military-led government has jailed thousands of opponents and pro-democracy activists since it seized power in 2021 and brutally put down protests, drawing global condemnation. Click here to read... [8]

Myanmar envoy hails strong Indo-Myanmar cultural ties - The Bengaluru Live

On the eve of the Myanmar new year, Myanmar Ambassador to India Moe Kyaw Aung here today hailed the strong cultural ties between both the nations and wished the citizens peace and prosperity. Click here to read... [9]

Gender Inclusion in Myanmar’s National Unity Government: Add Women and Stir - The Diplomat

Women have been on the front lines of the resistance movement that has stood up to Myanmar’s military junta since its seizure of power in February 2021. Over the past two years, however, the National Unity Government (NUG), which is directing the resistance movement, has produced few concrete outcomes for women. They remain largely excluded from leadership roles and decision-making within the political structures of the NUG and other resistance organizations like the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). Click here to read... [10]

Chinese dual use facilities in Myanmar and Sri Lanka raises security concerns in India - The Hindu

Recent satellite images show the construction of a military facility on Coco Islands, located very close to India’s Andaman and Nicobar island chain. In the second case, sources said China has proposed setting up a remote satellite receiving ground station system through a collaborative effort between the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Ruhuna in southern Sri Lanka. Given its critical location, it can be used to spy on Indian assets and intercept sensitive information and also across the region, sources in the security establishment said. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal

Kathmandu is more polluted than Delhi: Nepal capital tops list of most polluted cities in the world - Times of India

Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has once again topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The city's air quality index (AQI) has been consistently above 300, which is considered "hazardous" by the World Health Organization (WHO). The pollution in Kathmandu has been attributed to a number of factors, including rapid urbanization, the use of fossil fuels, and the burning of garbage and agricultural waste. However, the recent forest fires that have engulfed large areas of the country have also contributed to the worsening of the air quality in the citClick here to read... [12]

Cybercrime-related cases see an alarming rise in Nepal - Asia News Network

Nepal’s Cyber Bureau says the country has seen a steep rise in cybercrime cases over the past year. Inadequate technical human resource and lack of relevant laws have compounded the problem, the bureau says. Over the past eight months, the bureau has registered a total of 4,937 cases, a number higher than all cases registered in the whole of last fiscal year (4486 cases), according to Pashupati Kumar Ray, the bureau’s spokesperson. Click here to read... [13]

EAM Jaishankar congratulates newly appointed Nepalese counterpart Saud - Deccan Herald

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday congratulated his newly appointed Nepalese counterpart Narayan Prasad Saud, hours after he took charge of the post. Saud, a leader of Nepali Congress, was sworn in as the foreign minister, weeks ahead of a planned visit to India by Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. Click here to read... [14]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka at 75 is a failed state, says former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga – The Hindu

Despite possessing enviable social indicators at the time of Independence in 1948, Sri Lanka, at 75, is a “failed state”, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said on Sunday. “Seventy-five years is a long time for a nation to achieve considerable progress. Even after 450 years of destruction by colonial rulers, at Independence, Sri Lanka possessed some of the best socio-economic indicators. Today, at 75, Sri Lanka is a failed state,” she said, delivering the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh Memorial Lecture of 2023, in an online event, organised by the South Asia Foundation and the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. Click here to read... [15]

India, Japan and France launch common platform for Sri Lankan debt restructuring programme – The Hindu

India, Japan and France have announced a common platform for talks among creditors to address the debt restructuring programme of Sri Lanka which is grappling with its worst economic crisis. The representatives of the three creditor countries, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, held a press briefing on the margins of the annual spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington on April 13. Click here to read... [16]

President to call for a national government – Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to make a fresh call for a national government on April 25 when Parliament takes up the debate on the IMF extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mano Ganesan told Daily Mirror that President had informed him and MP Rauff Hakeem that he would make a fresh call on that day to all opposition MPs to extend support for the idea. MP Ganesan told Daily Mirror that although the President said he would make the call when Parliament meets, he did not extend such an invitation when we met him. Click here to read... [17]