Neighborhood News Digest - 20 January 2025

Afghanistan

Trade between Afghanistan and Iran Increased by 84% Last Year-Tolo News

Hossein Roustaei, Iran's trade advisor, stated in an interview with Iranian media that trade between Afghanistan and Iran grew by 84% in 2024 compared to 2023. According to Roustaei, transactions between the two countries last year amounted to $3.197 billion, with Afghanistan's exports to Iran valued at $54 million. Click here to read… [2]

Mullah Abdul Kabir takes over as acting head of Ministry of Refugees-The Khaama Press

Officials in the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations have announced that the first coordination meeting of the ministry, with its deputies, directors, and officers, was held under the leadership of Mullah Abdul Kabir. In a statement released on Sunday, January 19, the ministry assured that Mullah Abdul Kabir had confirmed his commitment to resolving existing issues and challenges. Click here to read… [3]

Stanikzai: Injustice Done to 20 Million People of Country-Tolo News

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Deputy Political Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressing the women of the country, stated that injustice has been done to 20 million people in the country. Speaking at a madrasa graduation ceremony in Khost province, he criticized the ban on girls' education, emphasizing that this action is not in accordance with Sharia. Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh

Reforms may cause short-term economic slowdown: BB – The Daily Star

Economic activities may slow down in the near term as the government has opted to initiate massive economic reform measures, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) said yesterday. The reforms will eventually benefit the economy in the medium and long run, it said in its July-September issue of Bangladesh Bank Quarterly, a publication of the central bank. Click here to read… [5]

Foreign adviser’s china tour: Dhaka-Beijing relations to hit reset button – The Daily Star

Beijing may consider Bangladesh's political stability and diplomatic positioning before making any commitment on economic and trade benefits that Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain will seek during his four-day visit to China, said foreign policy analysts. Click here to read… [6]

Tarique warns BNP leaders, activists against wrongdoing - Dhaka Tribune

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has urged the party's leaders and activists to refrain from wrongdoing and sheltering intruders, reminding them that people may once again show their strength as they did on August 5 if they make mistakes. Click here to read… [7]

Chief Adviser leaves Dhaka for Davos Tuesday to attend WEF – Prothom Alo

Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus will leave Dhaka for Davos, Switzerland Tuesday on a 4-day official visit to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which begins on 21 January. “The chief adviser will leave Bangladesh at 1:00 am on Tuesday (21 Jan) and he will return home on 25 January,” Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy Sunday evening. Click here to read… [8]

Power sector: Adani Group sets July deadline to pay dues – Prothom Alo

India’s Adani Group has set July as the deadline for the Bangladesh government to pay its power outstanding bills. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) Sunday received a letter from the Indian conglomerate in this regard. Earlier, the Adani Group sent a letter to the authorities setting 7 November 2024 as the deadline to pay the dues. At that time, the company put pressure on the government speaking about shutting down production at a unit. Click here to read… [9]

Bhutan

National debt to rise by 12 percent – Kuensel

The country’s debt is estimated to surge by 12 percent to finance the fiscal gap and hydropower loans in this fiscal year 2024-25, the finance ministry has estimated. In absolute figures, the debt is estimated debt at Nu 319.07 billion compared with the previous fiscal year’s debt of Nu 285.18 billion. In terms of the debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, it is expected to slightly decrease to 105.9 percent of GDP from 107.5 percent from the previous fiscal year. Click here to read… [10]

Maldives

Tourist arrivals surpass 100,000, marking a strong start to the year – Raajje

The tourist arrival figure has surpassed the 100,000-mark, marking a strong start to the year. This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest daily tourist arrival statistics published on January 19. As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 117,532 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 18. This is a 9.7 percent surge in comparison to the 107,119 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 97,882 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023. About 6,530 tourists are arriving on average every day during January. Click here to read… [11]

PNC’s fraudulent forms scandal: manhunt underway for suspect who leaked minister’s photos – Raajje

Efforts have begun to arrest the suspect who leaked photos of Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan taken while he was at the Department of National Registration (DNR) where fraudulent forms were being filled for the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC). A reliable source spoke to RaajjeMV on the condition of anonymity, saying that this is currently being carried out "on orders from very high up." The source also stated that there is a suspect at present, and efforts are being made to "corner them and make an arrest." Click here to read… [12]

Myanmar

ASEAN upholds decision to bar Myanmar generals from summits, urges self-restraint in South China Sea – Reuters

Foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN at a weekend retreat upheld their decision to bar Myanmar’s ruling generals from their summits and limit the country's participation to a non-political level, said Malaysia who currently holds the chairmanship on January 20. Further, on January 20, Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government that, their plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging the junta to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations called on the warring sides in member nation Myanmar to stop the fighting and told the junta's representative to allow unhindered humanitarian access, said Malaysia's foreign minister as the country takes over chairing ASEAN this year. Click here to read… [13]

Russian-Backed Wind-Power Project Takes Shape in Mandalay – The Irrawaddy

Russian state-owned energy firm Rosatom and Myanmar’s Zeya & Associates are set to implement a 200 MW wind-power project near Mount Popa in Mandalay Region’s Kyaukpadaung Township. Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Myo Aung met with Zeya and Rosatom executives at his office in Mandalay on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Electricity, where they briefed him on their plans for the project, including the proposed locations for wind turbines. Zeya & Associates Co. Ltd is a subsidiary of the RGK+Z&A Group of Companies. Group CEO Zeya Thura Mon, is a prominent junta crony. Click here to read… [14]

Pakistan

Military operation being planned in Kurram, claims Fazl-The Express Tribune

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, stated that both the establishment and Western powers have been actively working against religious seminaries since the creation of Pakistan. He also claimed that preparations are underway for a military operation in Kurram, Express News reported. Click here to read… [15]

BD military delegation meets Pak Navy commanders to discuss defence cooperation-The Express Tribune

Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of Bangladesh's Armed Forces Division, visited senior officials of the Pakistan Navy on Sunday to discuss regional security and bilateral defence cooperation. The meetings were aimed at strengthening professional ties and addressing matters of mutual interest, according to a statement from the Directorate General Public Relations (Pak Navy). Click here to read… [16]

International conference on Sufi tradition begins-The Express Tribune

The 34th International Conference on Sufi tradition from Baba Farid till Ghulam Farid organised by World Punjabi Congress in Lahore has begun. More than 100 International delegates from India, Canada, Australia, England & Japan are attending this 34th International Conference. The conference was inaugurated by the Chairman of WPC Fakhar Zaman. He welcomed all the delegates and reiterated his commitment in organizing more conferences in future. Click here to read… [17]

Sri Lanka

China ready to bring in US $ 10 billion to Sri Lanka – Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka stands the chance of attracting investments from Chinese companies amounting to around US $ 10 billion as a result of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s state visit, Daily Mirror learns. The President concluded the visit to China from January 14 to 17, 2025 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Click here to read… [18]

Pay rent of Rs. 4.6 mn or vacate residence: AKD tells MR – Daily Mirror

The rent for the residence of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was valuated as Rs. 4.6 million per month and he could either pay the rent or leave the residence, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today. "The government will provide Rs. 30,000 allowance which is one-third of their salary. He can stay in the residence by paying the rest Rs. 4.6 million," he said. Click here to read… [19]

Will visit UAE as next official visit: President – Daily Mirror

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today he will leave for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as his next official visit. The President told a meeting in Kalutara that he had already received an official invitation from the UAE. Click here to read… [20]