Neighborhood News Digest- 17 September 2024

Afghanistan

Muttaqi: Efforts Ongoing to Connect Afghanistan to Türkiye, Europe-Tolo News

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting with ambassadors of several countries in Kabul and representatives of regional and international organizations, stated that with the commencement of the practical work on the TAPI project and other infrastructure projects, Afghanistan and the regional countries will achieve economic growth. Click here to read… [2]

Over 8,000 Open Positions Announced by Education Ministry-Tolo News

The Ministry of Education has announced an examination for more than 8,000 vacant positions for teachers and fifth and sixth-grade administrative positions across the country. Click here to read… [3]

Nearly 700 Million in Trade Conducted With Central Asian Countries-Tolo News

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that in the first five months of the current solar year, Afghanistan has conducted trade worth nearly $700 million with Central Asian countries. Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, said that around $60 million of exports have been made, and the ministry is working to increase the level of exports to Central Asian countries. Click here to read… [4]

Human Rights Watch urges protection for Hazara community in Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

Human Rights Watch emphasized the need to protect at-risk communities in Afghanistan, including the Hazaras. The organization noted that since the Taliban took power in August 2021, ISIS has claimed responsibility for at least 17 attacks against Hazaras, resulting in over 700 deaths and injuries. Click here to read… [5]

Bangladesh

UN fact-finding team calls for first-hand info on human rights violations during July-August movement - The Daily Star

The fact-finding team of the UN Human Rights Office have invited individuals, groups, and organisations to provide first-hand information, that is not already in the public domain, of human rights violations and abuses committed between July 1 and August 15. Click here to read… [6]

US diplomat stresses support for Bangladesh's democratic transition – The Daily Star

A top US diplomat said that it is in the interest of everyone to support a democratic, peaceful, and lawful transition in Bangladesh. Richard Verma, deputy secretary of State for Management and Resources, said this at the Hudson Institute in Washington yesterday, our New Delhi correspondent reports quoting PTI. Click here to read… [7]

Fakhrul urges govt to support movement victims, ensure punishment for killers – Dhaka Tribune

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday demanded that the interim government ensure exemplary punishment for those involved in the killings during the recent student-led mass movement. He slammed the Awami League government for committing a “horrific genocide” to suppress the students and people involved with the mass uprising. Click here to read… [8]

Elections must be held without delay: Mirza Fakhrul – Prothom Alo

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for the elections to be held without delay. He said, from among those who have been given responsibility of the interim government, some are saying that a new party must be formed. Mirza Fakhrul said, "If they talk about forming a new party, how will the people understand that they are working neutrally?" Click here to read… [9]

BGB-BSF meeting decides to return 200 acres of land to Bangladesh – Prothom Alo

Bangladeshi landowners are set to regain around 200 acres of land previously lost to India due to the erosion of the Padma River along the Daulatpur border in Kushtia. A joint decision to resurvey the disputed land and return it to the rightful owners was reached in a meeting held between senior officials of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday. Click here to read… [10]

Bhutan

No cap on number of tourists visiting Bhutan: CMO Bhutan Tourism Carissa Nimah– The Economic Times

The sustainable development fee (SDF) has not stopped a steady flow of people coming into the land of the thunder dragon that welcomes everyone as chief marketing officer of Bhutan Tourism Carissa Nimah assured there is "no capping on number of tourists". Bhutan, which charges USD 100 per person per night to all foreign visitors except those from India, who pay Rs 1,200 per person per night, has been successfully promoting 'High value, Low volume' policy, prioritising environment conservation and Sustainability. Click here to read… [11]

ORO Bank – Bhutan steps into sustainable banking – Banking Frontiers

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan now boasts of a full-reserve digital bank, which is Asia’s first. ORO Bank is a cloud-first, digitally powered online banking institution launched in May 2024 to ‘serve the Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region (SAR), a new strategic initiative announced by the King of Bhutan. SAR is essentially a 1000-sq. km economic center in South Bhutan aimed at integrating cultural preservation, equitable economic growth, good governance and environmental sustainability. Click here to read… [12]

Maldives

FTA will expand trade with China to nearly USD 1 billion– Adhadhu

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China will expand trade between the two countries to nearly USD 1 billion a year, the government said on September 16. President's Office Spokesperson Heena Waleed told reporters at a press conference that transactions worth USD 700 are already carried out with China. ‘There is already USD 700 million in trade between Maldives and China. However, with the current FTA and the implementation of the FTA, this trade figure will increase to USD 1 billion,’ she said. Heena further noted that the local currency agreement signed with China on September 13 will benefit the Maldives. Click here to read… [13]

After UPI deal with India, Maldives signs MoU with China for currency transactions– Indian Express

Month after signing an agreement with India to introduce Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Maldives, Male on September 14 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) to establish a framework for current account transactions and direct investments using their respective currencies. Additionally, the Maldives may soon host a branch of China’s largest bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), according to state-run PSM News. Click here to read… [14]

Maldives signs MoU with China to facilitate current account transactions in respective currencies- Press Trust of India

Maldives has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with People’s Bank of China to establish a framework for current account transactions and direct investments in their respective currencies and announced that it may soon have a branch of China’s biggest bank, ICBC. China, which is Maldives' one of the largest trade partners with bilateral trade exceeding USD 700 million, and the top source of tourists to the Maldives, stands to benefit significantly from this agreement. Click here to read… [15]

Pakistan

IHC seeks govt’s ‘clear stance’ on Imran Khan’s military trial-The Express Tribune

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked the federal government to clarify its stance on whether Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan will face a military trial. Click here to read… [16]

Pakistani devotees attend Khawaja Allauddin Sabir’s urs in India-The Express Tribune

The Pakistani devotees accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission, Pakistan High Commission, New Delhi, Asif Khan on Monday placed the traditional chador at the Shrine of Hazrat Khawaja Allauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir (RA) at Kaliyar Sharif. About 81 Pakistani Zaireen arrived in Kaliyar Sharif on Sept 14 to participate in the 756th urs of the Sufi saint and will remain there till Sept 20, a message received from India said. Click here to read… [17]

ADB assures Pakistan $2b annually in loans-The Express Tribune

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has assured Pakistan of providing $2 billion annually in new loans, as Islamabad seeks half of the amount on concessional terms amid government's inability to get cheaper credit due to its worsened ratings. Click here to read… [18]

X restoration claim was ‘mistake’, says PTA-Dawn

The telecommunication regulator on Monday told the Sindh High Court (SHC) that social media platform X is still blocked and a contrary claim made by its lawyer during the previous hearing was a “mistake”. Click here to read… [19]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka not out of the woods yet, says IMF – Daily Mirror

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cautioned that while Sri Lanka has made notable progress in its economic recovery, the nation is still vulnerable and must work to protect the hard-earned gains it has achieved so far, the President's Media Division said. Click here to read… [20]

This could be the last democratic election in Sri Lanka-Patali – Daily Mirror

United Republican Front (URF) Leader MP Patali Champika Ranawaka who is backing Presidential Candidate and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa fears whether this will be the last democratic election that will be conducted in Sri Lanka. "This is not a normal election. This could be the last democratic election in this country, being determined by a wave of populism created on social media. It was the similar wave in 2019 when a deliberate social media campaign was launched to mislead the public and promote Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the saviour of the nation. The country went bankrupt. This time, the country will not be bankrupt but the entire democratic system that has remained since 1931 will be ruined," he told Daily Mirror during an interview. Click here to read… [21]

We will not issue official results to them: EC Chairman – Daily Mirror

Highlighting the utmost importance of media houses sticking to the guidelines issued to them by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Commission’s Chairman R. M. A. L. Rathnayake warned that they will not issue official results of the Presidential Polls to such defying media houses. Click here to read… [22]

Sri Lanka, China enter significant five-year period, and at a new turning point: Ambassador – Daily Mirror

Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said both China and Sri Lanka are entering significant five-year periods and at a new turning point, which heralds greater opportunities for cooperation. He said the next five years will be significant for China, as the session has explicitly requested that “The reform tasks laid out in this resolution shall be completed by the time China celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2029”. Click here to read… [23]