Neighborhood News Digest – 23 February 2023

Afghanistan

Taliban Demand US Return $3.5 Billion In Afghan Assets After Court Ruling – NDTV

Taliban authorities called on Washington Wednesday to return $3.5 billion belonging to Afghanistan's central bank after a New York federal judge ruled the families of victims in the 9/11 attacks cannot seize the funds. The United States took control of the assets soon after the Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with President Joe Biden saying the money could be made available to the families of 9/11 victims. Click here to read... [2]

Taliban bans, restricts media operations in 2 Afghanistan provinces – Committee to Protect Journalists

On Tuesday, February 21, Taliban officials, in a meeting with journalists in the southern province of Helmand, announced a ban on all media outlets—including Taliban-run Radio Television of Helmand and Bakhtar News Agency —preparing and distributing photos and videos, according to the media watchdog Nai and a journalist inside Afghanistan, who spoke to CPJ by messaging app on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal. Click here to read... [3]

Afghanistan: Pakistan, Taliban officials hold talks on 'terrorism threat' following deadly attacks – Wion News

Days after Islamabad witnessed some deadly attacks, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asid and intelligence chief Nadeem Anjum held talks with the Taliban government on Wednesday (Feb 22) on ways to counter the "threat of terrorism." The meet was held in Kabul, led by Afghan's Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. Click here to read... [4]

China’s Clouded Future in Afghanistan – The Diplomat

More than a year since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country is now facing a new terrorist threat that is making it more risky and difficult for China to commit to the region. While the Islamic State (IS) has been weakened globally since its territorial defeat in 2019, it continues to thrive in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

What Are the Conditionalities of IMF Loans in Bangladesh: Dispelling the Myth - Geopolitics

About the IMF assistance, the term “conditions” does not refer to a deep economic reform or a massive change in the economy; rather, these conditions are basically the future working plan or suggested economic reforms for better economic conditions in a future developed Bangladesh. Besides, PM Sheikh Hasina also highlighted the issue and said, “The IMF provides loans to a country only when it has the capacity to repay the loan…We will not accept an IMF loan with any conditions.” The IMF focuses on some broad areas where Bangladesh has rather shown optimistic marks. Click here to read... [6]

Mulling on National Security Strategy of Bangladesh: Priorities and Posture - Geopolitics

The hostile overture of Myanmar didn’t spiral, partly owing to Bangladesh’s restrained posture. Had Bangladesh overtly embroiled itself in escalation dynamics, the situation might spiral out of control, and the aggressor-victim dichotomy would be blurred. Conversely, Myanmar’s hostile actions propelled diplomatic measures by Dhaka, which attest to the conciliatory bent of Bangladesh. The absence of overt retaliatory measures doesn’t indicate the feebleness of Bangladesh, rather the strategic patience of Bangladesh can be interpreted as a commitment to peace, eschewing unwarranted conflicts. Click here to read... [7]

Military support to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar may undermine Bangladesh’s security – Dhaka Tribune

Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Wednesday said that using a liberal interpretation of the non-lethal assistance clause may allow the United States to provide military support to the various ethnic armed organizations (EAO) in Myanmar which “may undermine” Bangladesh's security as these groups have some ties to the same separatist factions operating in the country. Click here to read... [8]

Paradoxes of terrorism in Bangladesh – Daily Star

We have heard the word "paradox" innumerable times in relation to development in Bangladesh. Now, in a new book titled The Politics of Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Bangladesh, published by the British multinational publisher Routledge, its editors say that "the chapters in this volume will illustrate that Bangladesh is an exciting and often paradoxical case for terrorism studies in general." One of the paradoxical elements pointed out in this book is the fact that "most of the key coordinators or leaders of the new generational groups of terrorists are educated in secular universities, either in Bangladesh or abroad" against a typical perception that religious seminaries, known as madrasas, are the breeding ground of Islamic terrorism. This book is published as a part of the Routledge Studies in South Asian Politics series. Click here to read... [9]

Bhutan

Bhutanese Crown Prince is country’s first citizen with digital identity – Royal Central

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan undertook his second solo official engagement as he became the first citizen to be inserted in the country’s new digital identity platform. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

Adhaalath Party agrees to form alliance with MDP for upcoming election - Avas

Adhaalath Party has decided to back President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and form a coalition with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the upcoming presidential election. Adhaalath Party is part of the current ruling coalition. The MDP National Assembly passed a resolution on February 15 giving the MDP presidential candidate and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih the power to decide if he wants to form a coalition in the upcoming presidential election. Click here to read... [11]

Two arrested for Bank of Maldives internet banking scam - Edition

According to the Maldives Police Service, two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing information to access Bank of Maldives' (BML) internet banking and buying goods worth over MVR 200,000 through QR code scanning. The arrests were made on Saturday, and the two men, a 25-year-old and a 27-year-old, have been remanded in custody for 15 days. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta’s Rakhine Poll Plan Hinges on Arakan Army - Irrawaddy

The military coup in February 2021 triggered an armed uprising across the country, with fighting raging in both towns and villages – but Rakhine State has been relatively stable. This is partly because the ethnic rebel Arakan Army (AA) reached a ceasefire agreement with Myanmar’s military three months before the coup thanks to mediation by Japan’s Sasakawa Foundation. Rakhine State had experienced two years of fierce fighting before the putsch, but during that time Rakhine lawmakers were able to help displaced civilians through Parliament. On the political stage, the Arakan National Party (ANP) won popular support in northern Rakhine while the National League for Democracy (NLD) was strong in southern Rakhine. Click here to read... [13]

India is keeping close ties with Myanmar, even transferring weapons, NGOs say - RFA

India, the world’s largest democracy, has nurtured closer relations with Myanmar’s military junta over the past two years, including providing weapons at least four times since the 2021 coup d'etat, two humanitarian and advocacy organizations in India said. The Indian government and Indian companies sold radar technologies and remote control air defense systems to Myanmar’s military government in 2021, said India for Myanmar, which helps refugees from the war-torn country who have fled to neighboring India. Click here to read... [14]

Can Myanmar-Bangladesh ties promote ASEAN- SAARC regional stability and prosperity? – Nagaland Post

Naf River flows through Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Rohingyas who fled through this river crossing the tortured, oppressed, expelled and fearing for their lives have taken refuge in Bangladesh. However, trade between the two countries can continue on this river route, cargo ships can crowd the river ports of the two countries. Boats full of tourists can be floated on the river where tourists can see the sights of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Although the ongoing Rohingya problem with this neighboring country of Bangladesh is an obstacle, initiatives should be continued to improve the relationship between the two countries. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal

Congress-Maoist alliance back in focus – The Kathmandu Post

Immediately after the Election Commission on Wednesday kicked off the presidential election process by publishing the voter list, a new kind of political understanding seemed to be in offing between the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre). A meeting between the two sets of leaders on Wednesday evening agreed to revive the old five-party alliance formed in July 2021 after CPN-UML chief KP Sharma Oli’s ouster from prime minister’s office, the Post has learnt. Click here to read... [16]

Nepal’s stated policy keeps it from joining China’s GSI - The Kathmandu Post

China on Tuesday released a concept paper of its Global Security Initiative (GSI), calling on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in a spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world, said the concept paper which was also subsequently distributed to the Nepali media by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. Click here to read... [17]

Chinese ambassador to Nepal increases political engagement ahead of Presidential Election - ANI

With just two days left for the nomination filing for the Presidential Election slated next month, the Chinese envoy to Nepal Chen Song has increased his political engagement.
Song's political engagement increases as the parties remain divided over who should stand as the candidate for the March 9 Presidential election. Click here to read... [18]

Indian Foreign Secretary’s visit to Nepal and its geopolitical connotation - Khabarhub

Indian Foreign Secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently concluded a two-day official visit to Nepal on February 13–14 2023, at the invitation of the Nepali Foreign Secretary and his counterpart, Bharat Raj Paudyal. Although this was a meeting at the level of the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries, it was given greater significance due to the close ties between India and Nepal. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan

China approves $700m loan to Pakistan – The Telegraph Online

Pakistan’s all-weather ally China has approved a loan of $700 million and the funds will be transferred to the central bank this week, finance minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday as the cash-strapped country tried to avert a financial crisis. The announcement by Dar on the loan by the Board of China Development Bank (CDB) came a day after Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously passed a money bill aimed at raising tax revenues to fulfil the demands set by the IMF for seeking a $1.1 billion loan facility to avoid an economic meltdown. Click here to read... [20]

Imran Khan supporters detained as Pakistan races to secure IMF deal – Financial Times

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s party said on Wednesday night that up to 700 of its activists and leaders had been arrested during protests designed to destabilise the government, which is urgently seeking an IMF bailout to avert a default. Khan and his allies said last week that they wanted their supporters to be detained en masse to force early elections. Click here to read... [21]

'Not able to feed soldiers': Now, Pakistan's economic crisis hits army – Business Today

Pakistan's ongoing economic crisis has hit one of the most important institutions in the country - the army. The Pakistan Army is reportedly facing food shortage in messes due to a cut in supply amid the worst economic crisis in the country. Some field commanders have written letters to the Quarter Master General (QMG) Office in the General Headquarters, pointing to cut in food supply to soldiers in all army messes, News18 reported on Wednesday. Click here to read... [22]

President’s move to set election date draws political ire – Dawn

President Arif Alvi’s move to set a date for Punjab and Khyber Pakht­unkhwa elections has drawn sharp criticism from his political opponents, who have accused him of acting like a PTI worker, though at least one legal expert has suggested that Mr Alvi was “well within his rights” to announce the poll dates. On Monday, hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reaffirmed its decision not to consult the president on the matter, Mr Alvi went solo and announced April 9 as the election date for both provincial assemblies. Click here to read... [23]

Pakistan Implements Austerity Measures To Secure IMF Funding – Hindustan Herald

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has announced a new austerity drive that will save the country 200 billion rupees ($766 million) per year. Ministerial allowances and travel expenses will be reduced as part of the measures taken as Islamabad seeks a $1 billion funding agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, according to Reuters, all federal ministries and government offices would be required to cut spending by 15%.Click here to read... [24]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Crisis: Sri Lankan President will come to Bengaluru to meet Chinese Foreign Minister for debt relief – News WALLI

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet the Chinese Foreign Minister in India on Friday. The Chinese Foreign Minister is about to arrive in India to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers of G-20 countries. According to sources in the Sri Lankan government, Wickremesinghe will ask the Chinese foreign minister for debt relief. President Wickremesinghe said in a meeting in the city of Kandy- ‘During the meeting of the G-20 foreign ministers, he is expected to discuss the debt restructuring (resetting their payment schedule) of those countries whose economies have been destroyed. I hope to talk to the Chinese Foreign Minister there on how to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt. Click here to read... [25]

Power price hike pushes Sri Lanka crisis to the brink – The Print

The latest electricity price rise in crisis-hit Sri Lanka has left stall owner Mohammed Lafeel in a quandary: the 66 per cent increase means he can’t afford to pay for electricity but can’t manage without it so goes deeper into debt to keep it on. Over the last month, with inflation hovering at 55 per cent year-on-year, Lafeel says his income has fallen by about a third as fewer customers buy his knick-knacks as more of them struggle under the island’s worst financial crisis in seven decades. Lafeel says he doesn’t know how he can repay the 300,000 rupees ($835) he borrowed for his daughter’s wedding and has had to borrow more to reconnect the power at home after it was cut off because he hadn’t paid the bill. Click here to read... [26]

Forty more buses received under Indian Credit Line – Daily News

Another phase of the distribution of new buses given to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) under the Indian Credit Line took place on Tuesday at the Lanka Ashok Leyland premises in Panagoda, Homagama. These new buses are to be distributed to all depots in the island according to a concept of the Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, to put 500 new buses into operation this year, in order to strengthen public transport in rural areas of the country in conjunction with the 75th Independence Commemoration. Accordingly, as the third phase of the programme, 40 new buses were handed over to the SLTB depot at Lanka Ashok Leyland Institute premises, Athurugiriya, under the patronage of Minister Dr. Gunawardana. Click here to read... [27]