Neighborhood News Digest - 04 February 2025

Afghanistan

Akbasov: Afghanistan More 'Opportunity’ for Regional Stability than Threat-Tolo News

Gaziz Akbasov, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Kazakh embassy in Kabul, stated in an exclusive interview with TOLO news that Afghanistan’s stability has a significant impact on the security of the region and Central Asia. In this interview, the Kazakh diplomat emphasized that Astana does not view Afghanistan as a threat. Click here to read… [2]

Economy Ministry Rejects Washington Post's Report on Wakhan- Tolo News

The Ministry of Economy has rejected a report by The Washington Post regarding security and economic challenges facing the Wakhan project. Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, told TOLO news that Afghanistan, China, and regional countries have the political and economic will to advance this project, and there are no security challenges against it. Click here to read… [3]

Zalmay Khalilzad warns former Afghanistan’s leaders not to become pawns of Pakistan-The Khaama Press

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, reacted to reports of meetings between Pakistan’s intelligence officials and several Afghanistan’s political leaders in Turkey. He urged these leaders not to become pawns of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). Khalilzad expressed concern that Pakistan might use these leaders as leverage in negotiations with the Taliban to gain concessions, only to discard them later, as has happened in the past. Click here to read… [4]

Deputy Min. Denies Internal Strife, Reaffirms Stance against US Presence- Tolo News

Mohammad Nabi Omari, the Deputy Minister of Interior, stated at a ceremony in Ghazni that there are no differences among the high-ranking officials of the Islamic Emirate, nor are they divided into factions. Click here to read… [5]

Bangladesh

Administration reforms: Zila parishad’s abolition may be proposed – The Daily Star

The Public Administration Reform Commission is likely to recommend abolishing the zila parishad and strengthening the upazila parishad. The commission may make the recommendation as the deputy commissioners' offices and the zila parishads do not cooperate and coordinate in their tasks, said multiple sources in the reform commission. Click here to read… [6]

Capacity payment terms must be renegotiated – The Daily Star

The interim government must suspend the inefficient and costly power plants and renegotiate the capacity payment terms with the private power producers as the structure incentivises inefficiency, according to the report of the task force. "The current capacity payment structures incentivise inefficiency and impose unnecessary costs on the government," said the task force report on re-strategising the economy and mobilising resources for equitable and sustainable development. Click here to read… [7]

Adviser Touhid: Rohingya crisis is a global issue – Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday stressed that the protracted Rohingya crisis is not solely Bangladesh’s burden but a global issue that could threaten the entire region if left unaddressed. “Many perceive the Rohingya presence in Bangladesh as our problem. It is not. It is a global crisis. If the Rohingyas become desperate, it will pose a challenge not just for Bangladesh but for the entire region,” he said at a seminar at the Foreign Service Academy (FSA) in the capital. Click here to read… [8]

Cooperation between Dhaka, Delhi in RMG a testament to interdependence: Pranay Verma – Prothom Alo

Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday identified cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the readymade garments and textile sector as a testament to their interdependence and mutual benefit. The high commissioner also highlighted the importance of the RMG sector in Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and also in promoting closer supply and value chain linkages between India and Bangladesh. Click here to read… [9]

We must not allow anyone to create chaos, we should be alert like a war-time situation: Chief Advisor – Prothom Alo

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday asked for creating a ‘command centre’ for monitoring intensively the country’s law and order situation. The Chief Adviser gave the directives while reviewing the law and order situation of the country in a high level meeting of the chiefs of law enforcing agencies. Click here to read… [10]

Bhutan

Bhutan PM to Attend Bengal Business Summit – Rediff Money Desk

Bhutan's Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay is scheduled to visit Kolkata for two days to attend the state's business summit to be held later this week, an official from the Royal Bhutanese Consulate here said on February 3. The Prime Minister of the neighbouring country will lead a 13-member delegation and participate in the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) 2025 to enhance trade relations. "He is arriving on the morning of February 5 to participate in BGBS to improve bilateral trade relations. This visit is limited to Kolkata," as stated by Namgey Thinley, Trade Consul of the Royal Bhutanese Consulate in Kolkata. Click here to read… [11]

Japanese-made AI Buddha to make debut in Bhutan – Japan Times

An artificial intelligence-based chatbot will start answering questions from a Buddhist viewpoint in English in Bhutan, its developers including a Kyoto University professor said February 3. The team of the university and a startup initially developed a chatbot called Buddhabot in 2021 with the Japanese translation of the Sutta Nipata, considered to be the oldest collection of discourses of Buddha. Data on other classic collections were also incorporated into the AI Buddha later. In 2023, the team remodeled the Buddhabot using OpenAI's ChatGPT generative AI to create Buddhabot Plus, which adds interpretations and explanations to the discourses. The English version of Buddhabot Plus was completed last year following the Bhutanese government's request. Click here to read… [12]

Maldives

Health Minister Calls for Global Support to Address Climate-Related Health Threats – PSM News

The Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim has urged major countries to assist vulnerable countries in overcoming climate-related health challenges. The Minister made the call while addressing the 156th Executive Board meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva, Switzerland. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister highlighted the Maldives’ key priorities in the health sector. He reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to providing health services equally and without discrimination under the slogan of ‘Health for All’. He noted ongoing efforts to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) to provide services to the people in an accessible manner. Click here to read… [13]

Maldives and India begin 13th edition of Ekuverin military exercises – Adhadhu

Maldives and India have launched the 13th edition of the Ekuverin (Friends) military exercises. According to the Indian High Commission, the two-week training will be held in Maafilaafushi island. Chief of Defense Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy and Indian Ambassador to Maldives G Balasubramanian also attended the launching ceremony. This is the 13th edition of the Ekuverin exercise between the two countries to strengthen the relationship between the Maldivian Army and the Indian Army. Previous editions of the exercise were carried out in India and Maldives. Recently, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has stopped disclosing information on exercises between Maldives and India. Click here to read… [14]

Myanmar

Myanmar faces a fragmented future – Hindustan Times

On February 1, 2025, Myanmar’s civil war entered its fifth year. Since the tatmadaw waged a coup, life in the country has changed for all. The legitimate National League for Democracy-led government was never allowed to come to power despite winning the 2020 elections. Its leaders and supporters were arrested and a state of emergency was declared for a year. A new government, the State Administrative Council (SAC), was formed by the military. It was led by a senior general, Min Aung Hlaing (MAH), the commander-in-chief of army. Click here to read… [15]

Myanmar: UN chief urges return to civilian rule as crisis worsens – UN News

Following the coup, President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained and the country was plunged into a humanitarian and human rights crisis that has only worsened amid an intensifying civil conflict. “Secretary-General António Guterres condemns all forms of violence and calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint, uphold human rights and international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of violence and intercommunal tensions,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in statement. The situation in Myanmar is in freefall, with nearly 20 million people – a third of the population – expected to need humanitarian aid this year. Click here to read… [16]

Pakistan

Zardari leaves for China today for five-day visit- Dawn

Presi¬dent Asif Ali Zardari will embark on a five-day state visit to China on Tuesday (today), the Foreign Office announced on Monday. During the visit, Mr Zardari is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other senior Chinese officials in Beijing. Click here to read… [17]

Pakistan projected to become third most populous country by 2050-The Express Tribune

Pakistan's fertility rate has dropped from six live births per woman in 1994 to 3.6 in 2024, according to the United Nations World Fertility Report 2024. Despite this decline, the country is projected to become the third most populous nation in the world by 2050, surpassing the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, and Russia. Click here to read… [18]

PIA privatisation: Commission ready for second attempt at sell-off- The Express Tribune

The privatisation commission (PC) has announced that it is "fully prepared" for a second attempt at privatising Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), with several returning bidders and parties involved in the process. This update came during the 6th meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Privatisation, chaired by Dr Farooq Sattar, on Monday. Click here to read… [19]

Afghans being quietly moved out of capital-Dawn

The government has devised a plan to move registered Afghan refugees out of Islamabad and Rawal¬pindi and gradually repatriate them back to their country, sources with knowledge of the plan told Dawn. Authorities have also been directed to implement the plan without making any public announcement in this regard. Click here to read… [20]

Sri Lanka

Stand strong and united to take part in shaping a modern vision of freedom – Daily Mirror

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his Independence Day message invited all Sri Lankans to stand strong and united, to take part in shaping a modern vision of freedom, and to contribute to the collective beginning of this new era of revival. The President said despite countless obstacles and the deep-rooted flaws of the past corrupt political system, the people's government, built by the collective will of the citizens, is steadily progressing forward. Click here to read… [21]

Military presence minimal at 77th Independence Day parade – Daily Mirror

The number of tri-service personnel deployed for this year’s Independence Day celebrations has been reduced by 40%, with the decision not to include tri-services armoured vehicles in the parade. The 77th Independence Day celebrations will be held today (February 4) at the Independence Square and Independence Mawatha area. Click here to read… [22]

Japan provides 300 million Yen grant for ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme – Daily Mirror

The Government of Japan has extended a grant of 300 million Japanese Yen (approximately LKR 565 million) to Sri Lanka to enhance waste management infrastructure facilities under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said. Click here to read… [23]