Neighborhood News Digest - 04 September 2024

Afghanistan

UN Security Council divided on approach to Afghanistan issue-The Khaama Press

The recent report of the United Nations Security Council highlights internal divisions among its members regarding the approach to the situation in Afghanistan. The September 2024 Monthly Forecast revealed a lack of consensus on how best to support the country and address its complex issues. Click here to read… [2]

About One Thousand Work Permits Issued to Foreign Nationals in Afghanistan-Tolo News

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs reports that it has issued nearly one thousand work permits to foreign nationals since the beginning of the current solar year. Recently, officials from the ministry have established a work permit distribution office for foreign nationals at the Torkham crossing. Click here to read… [3]

Trade with Russia: Afghanistan's Exports are Minimal Compared to Imports-Tolo News

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has stated that trade with Russia over the past eight months has amounted to $227 million, with exports accounting for only $3 million. Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, mentioned that during the same period, the country imported goods worth $224 million from Russia. Click here to read… [4]

Traders Face Heavy Losses as Torkham Standoff Continues-Tolo News

The Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce reported that the Torkham crossing has been closed for over ten days, resulting in millions of dollars in losses for traders during this period. Officials from the chamber have called on Pakistani authorities to address the situation at the Torkham crossing. Click here to read… [5]

Bangladesh

Default loans surpass Tk 200,000cr for first time - The Daily Star

Default loans in the banking system surpassed Tk 200,000 crore for the first time, underlining the fragile condition of the sector that fell prey to rampant scams and irregularities under the tenure of the Awami League government over the past 16 years. Click here to read… [6]

541 killed in countrywide violence in August – The Daily Star

Political revenge, attacks on police stations, and assault on minority communities were seen in August, and all these point to a society split across the fault lines, said Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) in a report released yesterday. Click here to read… [7]

Extension of cross-border diesel pipeline comes to a halt – Daily Star

India's plan to extend a cross-border diesel pipeline from Dinajpur's Parbatipur upazila to Natore will apparently see delayed implementation for the ongoing political crisis, according to the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and an Indian media outlet. Click here to read… [8]

Railway bridge over Jamuna expected to open in December as project nears completion – Dhaka Tribune

Railway bridge over Jamuna expected to open in December as project nears completion. The bridge, funded jointly by the governments of Japan and Bangladesh, has seen the installation of all spans. Work on the Tangail side is fully complete, while the Sirajganj side is nearing completion. Click here to read… [9]

Bhutan

National Biodiversity Centre gets Nu 101 million budget to develop ecosystem services- Kuensel

With Nu 101 million allocated in the 13th Plan, the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) will focus on enhancing ecosystem services through sustainable and resilient biodiversity initiatives. This funding is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s (MoAL) total budget of Nu 14.983 billion in the 13th Plan. Click here to read… [10]

Maldives

New Foreign Investment Law passed in Maldives after 45 years– The Edition

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the new Foreign Investment Bill, which outlines the procedures for foreign investment in the Maldives. This bill amends the 45-year-old Foreign Investment Act, aiming to provide more opportunities for investors under the law. Under the new Act, the government is responsible for identifying, studying, and preparing feasibility reports on business opportunities in the Maldives. Foreign investors are permitted to invest only in areas specified by law, and they must obtain a special license for it. The Act also outlines areas open to investment and those where investment may be subject to specific conditions. Click here to read… [11]

Maldives sees record imports under Pres Dr. Muizzu's administration, MPL confirms- Avas

The Maldives imported the highest level of imports so far during the administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has confirmed. On September 2, the state-owned company's CEO, Ibrahim Wajeeh released an infographic detailing the importation of general and container cargo from 2018 to August 2024. According to the graphics, as of August 31, the Maldives had imported 12,600 tonnes of general cargo and 5,375 tonnes of container cargo. This represents a 22 percent increase in general cargo and a four percent rise in container cargo compared to the same period last year. Click here to read… [12]

Pakistan

Exports rise 14% despite IMF delay-The Express Tribune

Pakistan's exports increased by double digits to $5.1 billion during the first two months of this fiscal year, helping to contain the trade deficit to $3.6 billion amid uncertainty over the timing of a new external bailout v Some argue that due to the overall deterioration in Pakistan's economic, political, and security situation, even an IMF deal might not be of much help. Click here to read… [13]

Imran Khan seeks Islamabad High Court's help against potential military custody-The Express Tribune

Incarcerated former premier and founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to prevent his transfer to military custody for trial in cases related to the events of 9 May. Click here to read… [14]

Provincial Assembly demands expulsion of all illegal immigrants from Sindh-Dawn

The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday asked the authorities to expel all illegal immigrants from the province with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle terming them a “burden” on resources and a “root cause of terrorism and street crimes” in the province. Click here to read… [15]

Sri Lanka

Postal voting for 2024 Presidential election kicks off – Daily Mirror

Postal voting for the 2024 Presidential election officially begins today, with over 700,000 eligible voters set to cast their ballots. According to the Election Commission, postal votes can be marked today (September 4) at District Secretariats and Election Commission offices across the country. Click here to read… [16]

Bill to appoint Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented to House – Daily Mirror

The proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission will not have a mandate to penalize anyone, Minister of External Affairs Ali Sabry told Parliament today. The Minister came out with this remark in response to an allegation made by MP Wimal Weerawansa who questioned whether the Truth, Unity and Reconciliation Commission is being brought to penalize 43 security personnel who have been already blacklisted by some countries. Click here to read… [17]

Ranil making impractical promises: AKD – Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who senses his defeat, has started to give impractical pledges like increasing salaries of government servants and writing off crop loans, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today. Click here to read… [18]

RW asks SJB, NPP to withdraw proposals on public sector salaries – Daily Mirror

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the National People's Power (NPP) should retract the proposals in their policy statements regarding increasing the public servants' salaries, as this task has already been accomplished, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. Click here to read… [19]