VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: March 31, 2022

Afghanistan

Central Bank Holds Street Demonstration to Free Foreign Assets: Tolo News

The Central Bank held an exhibit on a street in Kabul city displaying photos and banners to encourage the international community and particularly the US to release the Afghan assets that remain in the US banks. Click here to read... [2]

China, US, Russia, Pakistan to Hold Talks on Afghanistan: Tolo News

A top US diplomat will meet this week in China to discuss issues in Afghanistan with his Chinese, Russian and Pakistani counterparts, the Chinese foreign ministry and the State Department said on Tuesday. Click here to read... [3]

Prosperous Afghanistan is in interest of regional countries, international community: President Xi: The Khaama Press

China’s President Xi Jinping said a prosperous, peaceful, and stable Afghanistan is not only a hope of the Afghanistan people but also in the interest of the countries in the region and the world community. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Indo-Bangla ties vital for South Asia’s stability- The Daily Star

Constructive Bangladesh-India ties could be a major stabilising factor for South Asia, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, insisting on resolving the irritants and harnessing the potentials of the two countries. Click here to read... [5]

UNGA vote on Russia: Dhaka stood for humanity- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh abstained from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution reprimanding Russia for invading Ukraine as it was against a particular country. Click here to read... [6]

Malaysia’s role in Rohingya issue lauded- The Daily Star

Malaysia's strong support to Bangladesh in the Rohingya crisis was lauded at a webinar that focused on shared heritage and good relations between the two countries. Click here to read... [7]

Misuse of law stifles press freedom- The Daily Star

The country's newspapers have made significant contribution to the Liberation War struggle, creating a nation as well as establishing democracy, said speakers yesterday. Click here to read... [8]

Border deaths a major stain on bilateral engagement with India: Shahriar- The Daily Star

The death toll of Bangladeshis on the border has become a major stain on bilateral engagement with India, along with the thorny water-sharing issue of transboundary 54 rivers, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam today. Click here to read... [9]

PM enjoys concert while public struggle to buy food: BNP- The Daily Star

BNP today slammed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for joining a gala concert that was organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) spending crores of taka, while they claimed that common people are struggling to cope with skyrocketing prices of daily essentials. Click here to read... [10]

The biggest joy: PM breaks down in tears in parliament- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today broke down in tears in the parliament while stating that providing land and houses from the government to the destitute in Bangladesh has been one of the biggest joys of her life. Click here to read... [11]

Bangladesh Embassy gives reception to diplomats in Egypt marking Independence Day- The Daily Star

On the occasion of the Independence Day and National Day of Bangladesh, the Embassy of Bangladesh hosted a reception and dinner in honour of foreign diplomats in Egypt. Click here to read... [12]

Bhutan

Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal meet Sri Lankan President: Colombo Page

The Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal who are in Sri Lanka to attend the BIMSTEC Summit called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House in Colombo this afternoon (30). Click here to read... [13]

Maldives

MMPRC launches campaigns to market Maldives in Southeast Asia: Raajje Mv

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) have launched campaigns to promote Maldives in the Southeast Asian market. Click here to read... [14]

Myanmar

Response to Ukraine underscores foot-dragging on Myanmar crisis- Frontier Myanmar

But in Myanmar, where the military seized power in a coup more than one year ago, the expressions of support for the Ukrainian people are all the more moving because of the terrifying risks implicit in the very act of gathering – being shot by soldiers or police officers, or arbitrary arrest, torture and death in custodyClick here to read... [15]

Response plan launched to support 1.4 million Rohingya and Bangladeshis - UN News

“Humanitarian agencies are seeking more than $881 million to support approximately 1.4 million people, including over 918,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and around 540,000 Bangladeshis in neighbouring communities,” UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told journalists during a press briefing in Geneva. Click here to read... [16]

Myanmar’s rebellion, divided, outgunned and outnumbered, fights on - Washington Post

Nearly seven months after Myanmar’s parallel government declared a “people’s defensive war” against the military junta, pro-democracy rebels are hanging on — not winning, but not losing either — using explosives, black market weapons and widespread popular support to keep junta soldiers out of key territories. Click here to read... [17]

Misreading the room: Why Hun Sen is failing on Myanmar - Aljazeera

When Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen became the first head of state to visit Myanmar since the military seized power in a coup last year, he seemed to think he would be able to bring the generals back into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) despite the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Click here to read... [18]

Damning report exposes atrocities committed by junta forces in Myanmar - People’s Dispatch

The 193-page report accuses army chief General Min Aung Hlaing of creating a special command that deployed snipers to kill unarmed protesters. It also identifies 61 military and police officials from the junta forces who it recommends must be investigated for committing crimes against humanity Click here to read... [19]

Nepal

Nepal PM Deuba's visit to India: How New Delhi can drive Kathmandu's policy of strategic diversify: Daiji World

Nepal PM Deuba's visit to India: How New Delhi can drive Kathmandu's policy of strategic diversific. Additionally, it has also been reported that Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are likely to inaugurate the Kurtha-Jayanagar Railway Project. Click here to read... [20]

Milestones in India-Nepal development partnership: ANI

Recent initiatives and milestones in India's development cooperation with Nepal are likely to be highlighted during the upcoming visit of Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to India, his first official trip since his appointment as PM in July last year. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan

Editorial: Fait accompli: Dawn

THE prime minister is as good as gone. With the MQM’s departure, the coalition government has lost the sliver of a margin it stood on. There is at the moment not much that Prime Minister Imran Khan can do politically to prevent further desertions. The mysterious foreign letter he had hoped would rehabilitate his misfortunes seems now to have been of limited utility. Click here to read... [22]

PM discloses contents of ‘threat letter: Dawn

The government confirmed on Wednesday that its allegation about a foreign conspiracy against the prime minister was based on a diplomatic cable received from one of the country’s missions abroad. Click here to read... [23]

No-trust vote: Sindh nationalist parties unhappy with PPP, MQM-P pact: The Express Tribune

Hours after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leadership reached written agreements, Sindhi nationalist parties on Wednesday expressed "serious concerns" over it. Click here to read... [24]

China agrees to fresh rollover of $2.5bn commercial loans: The News

Out of the approximately $21 billion in outstanding official loans, including commercial, bilateral and safe deposits, China has agreed in principle for granting a fresh rollover of $2.5 billion in commercial loans to Pakistan for one year. Click here to read... [25]

Sri Lanka

Explained: Sri Lanka economic crisis and India's $2.5 billion line of credit: Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka economic crisis: India has lent over $2.5 billion in credit so far, in addition to $500 million for a shipment of diesel. Click here to read... [26]

Sri Lanka: No medicines, 10-hour power cuts as economic crisis worsens: Business Standard

Ceylon Petroleum requested the public not to queue for diesel on Wednesday and Thursday after the state-run refiner failed to unload a shipment of 37,500 metric tonnes of the fuel. Click here to read... [27]