Neighborhood News Digest- 21 March 2025

Afghanistan

US Delegation, led by Zalmay Khalilzad, visit Kabul- The Khaama Press

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban states that the U.S. Special Envoy for Prisoner Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, visited Kabul and held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi regarding the release of prisoners. Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the meeting on Thursday, March 20, via a press release on X/Twitter. Click here to read... [2]

Over 120 Afghan women studying in Qatar and Oman at risk of deportation due to USAID funding cuts-The Khaama Press

Over 120 Afghan women studying in Qatar and Oman face potential deportation to Afghanistan due to cuts in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). As the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) cuts its funding, over 120 Afghan women studying in Qatar and Oman face the grim possibility of being deported back to Afghanistan. These women, who were granted scholarships to pursue education abroad, now worry for their safety and future. The cuts are part of broader reductions in U.S. foreign aid, which have left many students in a state of uncertainty. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

BIMSTEC: Bangladesh approaches India for Yunus-Modi talks on sidelines – The Daily Star

Bangladesh has approached India to arrange a meeting between Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok in the first week of April, reports ANI. The two leaders are likely to visit Thailand from April 2-4 to attend the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Click here to read... [4]

'No plan to ban Awami League' – The Daily Star

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said that the interim government has no plans to ban the Awami League, but individuals within its leadership accused of crimes, including murder and crimes against humanity, will be tried in Bangladeshi courts. He said the government has not ruled out referring AL leaders to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, following a UN fact-finding mission that reported potential crimes during the July uprising. "It is very much on the table." Click here to read... [5]

Pakistan’s foreign minister, secretary to visit Dhaka in April – Prothom Alo

Pakistan is making renewed efforts to normalise bilateral relations with Bangladesh, which have remained stagnant for nearly 15 years since the student-led uprising that led to a change in government. While Bangladesh was initially cautious about deepening ties after last August, it is now engaging with Pakistan’s initiative, considering the potential benefits in trade, commerce, and regional integration. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Financial institutions disburse Nu 667 million under Reinvigoration Fund – Kuensel

Seven participating financial institutions (PFIs) have approved Nu 667.32 million in loans under the Economic Stimulus Programme's (ESP) window-II Reinvigoration Fund. As of February 28, 2025, the PFIs have sanctioned loans to 187 applicants under two different subsidy mechanisms designed to support economic recovery. A total of 295 applications were submitted for funding consideration. The Reinvigoration Fund was established to assist borrowers and businesses with strong recovery potential following economic setbacks caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The programme offers two key forms of financial aid-Modality I and Modality II. Modality I provides an interest subsidy. Under this, eligible borrowers receive a 4 percent annual interest subsidy on their existing loans for up to three years, with borrowers paying the difference between the subsidised rate and the original interest rate. Financial institutions will conduct annual reviews to determine continued eligibility. Click here to read... [7]

Maldives

Indian surveillance aircraft's missions over Maldives during Pakistani military ship's visit – Adhadhu

A Pakistani military ship was in the Maldives when an Indian surveillance aircraft entered Maldivian territory and flew over Maldivian airspace for two days. An Indian Army Boeing P-81 Poseidon flew over Maldives on March 15 and 16. The registration number of the aircraft is IN329. According to information obtained by Adhadhu from aircraft tracking sites and other sources, the plane took off from an Indian military base in Goa. At the same time, Pakistan's PNS Aslat was in the Maldives for a military exercise with the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) from March 13 to 16. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives President Conveys Independence Day Greetings to Tunisia – PSM News

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has conveyed greetings and good wishes of the government and the people of the Maldives on the occasion of the Independence Day of Tunisia. In separate messages to President Kaïs Saïed and Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri, President Dr Muizzu extended his personal best wishes for their good health and happiness, and for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Tunisia. This day marks Tunisia gaining independence in 1956. Click here to read... [9]

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta Arming Grassroots Militias to Control Urban Centers – The Irrawaddy

The regime is tightening control over major urban centers by bolstering and arming home-front militias. In Myanmar’s second city of Mandalay, the so-called “People’s Security and Anti-Terrorism” teams have recently started carrying weapons. Initially deployed for routine tasks like vehicle checks, the blue-uniformed militias are now carrying firearms like G-3 rifles and carbines, according to locals. They are tasked with enforcing the junta’s writ within the community and consist mostly of men over 35 who are too old for military service. Click here to read... [10]

Scam Centers ‘Alive and Kicking’ in Shan State – The Irrawaddy

Scam centers remain alive and kicking across Myanmar’s northern Shan State despite Chinese government claims to have eliminated them. They continue thriving in parts of Shan State controlled by the junta or the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the most powerful ethnic militia in Myanmar, locals say. In 2023-2024, China successfully clamped down on cyber fraud operations in Kokang, which was by then controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). Smaller crackdowns continued through February this year in Mongyai and Hopang in northern Shan, but the number of arrests is conspicuously small. In the first two weeks of February, the junta proudly announced that it had arrested 107 online fraud suspects including 50 Chinese citizens in Mongyai. The UWSA for its part claimed to have arrested “over 100” suspects, mostly Chinese citizens, in Hopang. Click here to read... [11]

Hundreds of CSOs Demand UN Myanmar Envoy’s Removal Over China Links – The Irrawaddy

A total of 290 civil society organizations (CSOs) from Myanmar and around the world have issued an open letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN General Assembly, urging an immediate investigation into potential conflicts of interest involving UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Julie Bishop. The organizations also demanded the immediate termination of Bishop’s mandate due to her alleged ties to Chinese state-owned companies operating in Myanmar. Bishop, a former Australian foreign minister, was appointed as the UN Special Envoy on Myanmar in April last year. Click here to read... [12]

Pakistan

Govt rules out fresh military offensive amid terror wave-Dawn

Days after a high-level security moot decided to root out terrorism through the implementation of existing counter-terrorism frameworks, Minis¬ter of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry has ruled out a fresh military offensive to rein in the surge in terrorism. Click here to read... [13]

'No hurdles in IMF agreement'-The Express Tribune

The central bank governor, Jameel Ahmad, said on Thursday that there was no hurdle from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)'s side in reaching a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and any outstanding issues might be related to the federal government. Click here to read... [14]

PPP holds rally in Larkana against new canals, offers opposition ‘joint campaign’-Dawn

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) held a big rally in Larkana on Thursday against federal government’s six canal plan to counter its unending criticism of “clandestine support” for the project. Almost all opposition mainstream parties and nationalist groups have been running a sustained campaign against these canals which, they believe, are bound to render Sindh’s lands barren. Click here to read... [15]

Sri Lanka

Chinese K-8 trainer jet crashes in Wariyapola – Daily Mirror

A Chinese K-8 trainer jet of the Sri Lanka Air Force crash-landed in Wariyapola a short while ago, the Sri Lanka Air Force reported. It is reported that the aircraft, which had taken off from the China Bay Air Force Base in Trincomalee, lost radar contact before the crash. Click here to read... [16]

Sri Lanka risks losing US$ 1.23bn in EU exports if GSP+ revoked – Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka could face losses of up to US$ 1.23 billion if it loses its Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade benefits with the European Union (EU), a new study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) showed. With the absence of the preferential tariff scheme, the report noted that Sri Lanka risks facing a tariff increase from its GSP+ concessions to Most Favoured Nation (MFN) levels, which could potentially result in a loss of 36.7 percent of its exports to the EU. Click here to read... [17]