Neighborhood News Digest – 05 April 2023

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Taliban raid kills six members of Islamic State group – The Hindu

An overnight raid by Taliban forces in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province killed six members of the extremist Islamic State group, a Taliban spokesman said on April 4. The regional affiliate of the IS group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — has been the key rival of the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. The militant group has increased its attacks, targeting both Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shiite minority. Click here to read... [2]

Russian Consulate General Open in Mazar-e-Sharif: Kabulov – Tolo News

The Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said on Monday that the general consulate of Russia based in Mazar-e-Sharif is operating. According to the TASS report, Alexey Pereverzev was previously appointed as Russian consul general in Mazar-e-Sharif. The Islamic Emirate Foreign Ministry said that several months ago Russian consular technical groups came to Afghanistan to provide consular services. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Massive fire guts popular clothing market in Bangladesh capital – Al Jazeera

A large fire has gutted thousands of shops at a popular clothing market in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, with shop owners devastated by the loss weeks before Eid, the Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan. Hundreds of firefighters and army personnel battled the inferno as it tore through the clothing market, turning it into a pile of ashes. The blaze was brought under control at 12:45pm local time (06:45 GMT) more than six hours after it started at Bangabazar Market early on Tuesday. Several people have been injured but no deaths have been reported so far. Authorities were still trying to figure out the cause of the blaze. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh faces a tricky balancing act as it gets set to repatriate 1,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar - Scroll

What of the controlled experiment of repatriating a thousand Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar before the onset of the monsoons? This step: that seeks to transition these refugees from camps in Bangladesh to vetting camps in Rakhine, then decant them to holding camps, and, after a month or so – if everything goes well – their resettlement in former homes? Click here to read... [5]

China's footprint expands in Bangladesh in spite of an India-friendly govt. - TBS

The growing Chinese influence in India's neighbourhood, already evident in Sri Lanka and Nepal, is now also palpable in BangladeshClick here to read... [6]

Bhutan

GoI releases Nu 800M for TSF – Kuensel

The Government of India released the final tranche of Nu 800 million towards the Trade Support Facility (TSF), according to a press release the Indian embassy in Thimphu issued yesterday. The Government of India extended a TSF of Nu 4 billion for the 12th Plan for development of trade infrastructure, export promotion, trade automation and support to Bhutan’s private sector. Click here to read... [7]

PM Modi holds talks with Bhutan King; focus on bilateral ties, issues of national interest – The Hindu

India and Bhutan remain in “close coordination” over all security matters, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, indicating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck discussed the latest situation along the India-Bhutan border as well as the progress in boundary talks between China and Bhutan, particularly above the Doklam trijunction point, during a meeting in Delhi on April 4. Click here to read... [8]

Govt. mulling to restrict foreign currency for import of non-essential items – Kuensel

The government will restrict issuing foreign currency for import of non-essential items if the country does not have enough foreign currency, Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering said during a meeting with the representatives of the private sector on March 31. However, he said that there will be no ban on the import of non-essential items. Click here to read... [9]

India to increase support to Bhutan in its 13th Five Year Plan – Business Line

India has agreed to increase its support to Bhutan in its upcoming 13th Five Year Plan and will also extend an additional standby credit facility over and above the two existing ones, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has said. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

Maldives monthly tourist arrivals up 19% in Feb-2023 - Centre for Aviation

CAPA publishes more than 1,000 global News Briefs every week, covering all aspects of the aviation and travel industry. It’s the most comprehensive source of market intelligence in the world, with around 50 per cent of content translated from non-English sources. The breadth of our coverage means you won’t need any other news sources to monitor competitors and stay informed about the latest developments in the wider aviation sector.

Japan-Maldives holds 4th round of Policy Dialogue - Raajje

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan have successfully concluded the 4th Round of Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue. The 4th Round of Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on Tuesday. The Maldivian delegation was led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Khaleel and the Japanese Delegation was led by Director-General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Department of Japanese Foreign Ministry, Arima Yutaka. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

UN HRC52: UK General Comment on the situation in Myanmar - Gov.UK

This initiative comes at a crucial moment for the people of Myanmar. The text before us today rightly details the dramatic deterioration in the human rights situation since the Myanmar military coup. The junta has consistently shown it holds no respect for international rule of law, human rights or democracy. Across the country, we see arbitrary arrests, targeting of civilians, including the Rohingya and other minorities and civilian infrastructure, torture, mass gender and sexual-based violence, and other restrictions and assaults on rights and freedoms. Click here to read... [12]

No fake election can disguise the violence and repression in Myanmar - Washington Post

The current military ruler, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, orchestrated a coup against the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 after she and the NLD won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections. The army has since sought to crush opposition with a wave of brutality, including aerial bombardments, widespread rapes and killings, and wholesale burning of villages. Two days after the NLD was dissolved, Radio Free Asia reported on the scorched-earth tactics against Thantlang, a once-bustling town in the west that has a sign above its gateway proclaiming that inhabitants are “not rich, but happy.” Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar welcomes 25,000 visitor arrivals for the first time since 2020 in Feb-2023 - - Centre for Aviation

CAPA publishes more than 1,000 global News Briefs every week, covering all aspects of the aviation and travel industry. It’s the most comprehensive source of market intelligence in the world, with around 50 per cent of content translated from non-English sources. The breadth of our coverage means you won’t need any other news sources to monitor competitors and stay informed about the latest developments in the wider aviation sector. Click here to read... [14]

Construction on Myanmar's Coco Island Raises Concerns Over India's Security: Report - The Wire

Satellite images have captured a spurt in construction activity on Myanmar’s Coco Island which could become a hub to mount surveillance of India’s military activities on the nearby Andamans, an article published by a UK think-tank warned. A report in the monthly magazine of London-based Chatham House said that the latest images indicate that Myanmar “may soon be intending to conduct maritime surveillance operations from Great Coco Island, the largest in an isolated archipelago that lies just 55 kilometres north of India’s strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands”. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal

Nepal’s growth faces slowdown amidst domestic and external challenges - India Blooms

Growth in Nepal this year will be slower than previously projected due to the impacts of import restrictions, monetary policy tightening, higher inflation, and shrinking government expenditure reflecting lower government revenue, according to the World Bank’s twice-a-year country update. Fine-Tuning Policy in a Turbulent Environment, projects Nepal’s economy to grow by 4.1 percent in FY23, a downward revision from the October 2022 forecast. Click here to read... [16]

Chinese labourers comprises highest number of work permit holders in Nepal - Business Standard

Nepal has issued a total of 10,000 work permits to foreign labourers, with China comprising the highest number of such workers at 7,500, a media report said on Monday. A large number of Chinese nationals are working in Nepal because the country has the highest number of Chinese projects that are in operation, Gorkhapatra, a state-run daily, reported. "Currently there are 10,000 foreign labourers on work permit in Nepal and out of it those from China are the highest at 7,500," the report said, citing sources from the country's Department of Labour. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal celebrates National Accessible Tourism Day 2023 on March 30 - Travel and Tour

On March 30, Nepal celebrated the Sixth Accessible Tourism Day by traveling along the ‘wheel trek trail’ at Basuki Thumka, a hill flank at Sanga Village, Kavre District. More than 40 wheelchair users took part, along with a large number of well-wishers, people’s representatives, accessibility experts, community leaders, and government officials. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan

Pakistan sloshes on cheap Iranian diesel smuggled through Balochistan – The Statesman

If there is something that is in plenty in a cash-starved Pakistan, it is diesel. Iranian diesel is making its way into large areas of Pakistan through speed boats operating in the ocean and in Balochistan’s Dasht river. Pakistanis are using so much Iranian diesel that the country’s own diesel reserves are going up astronomically. In March 2023 it saw just 12,000 MT of diesel consumption as compared to 30,000 MT of consumption last year. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan braces for economic impact as Saudi Arabia ends ‘blank checks’ aid – Samaa

In a significant change of direction, Saudi Arabia has sent a stern message that it would no longer provide blank checks aid to regional allies, including Pakistan, The New York Times reported. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has insisted on economic overhauls like cutting subsidies and privatizing state-owned companies before releasing any further financial assistance. Click here to read... [20]

Pakistan rupee falls all-time low against US dollar – Hindustan Times

The Pakistani rupee sank to ₹287.29 against the US dollar, a record low on Tuesday as the cash-starved country struggles to unlock critical International Monetary Fund (IMF) funding while dwindling foreign exchange reserves become another source of concern for investors, a media report said. The local unit, in the interbank market, closed at 287.29 against the US dollar, 0.78 per cent or ₹2.25, down from Monday’s close of 285.04, Geo News reported. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan’s Cabinet rejects Supreme Court’s verdict in Punjab election delay case – The Tribune

Pakistan’s federal Cabinet on Tuesday rejected the Supreme Court’s “unanimous verdict” on advancing the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces which were earlier postponed by the election commission. The development came during the Cabinet’s meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial announced the apex court’s verdict on the matter which it had reserved on Monday, Geo News reported. Click here to read... [22]

Pakistan has walked dangerously deep into Chinese grip. Wake up, West – The Print

China’s growing role in the Middle East, as it helps Saudi Arabia and Iran negotiate its differences, is talk of the town. However, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, Sameer Lalwani’s recent paper for the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) draws attention back to Asia. South Asia to be precise, where Beijing’s hold, as he argues, has increased. The USIP special report on China-Pakistan military relationship draws attention toward the ever-strengthening security relations between the two states. Click here to read... [23]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Prez seeks India's help with governance, policy reforms – In Shorts

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sought India's help in establishing policy reforms, governance, capacity building and public service delivery. He made the requests while meeting Bharat Lal, Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance in Colombo. Wickremesinghe also discussed ways to enhance Sri Lanka's civil services and improve government institution performance. Click here to read... [24]

India and Sri Lanka navies hold 10th edition of SLINEX-23 in Colombo – Indian Express

India and Sri Lanka are holding the 10th edition of SLINEX-23, the bilateral maritime exercise, in Colombo this month, the Indian Navy said Tuesday. The Indian Navy said in a statement the exercise, which began on April 3 and will go on until April 8, is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase between April 3 and 5, followed by a Sea Phase between April 6 and 8. Click here to read... [25]

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka to see economic contradiction in 2023: Report - Livemint

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka is estimated to see a contraction in its economic growth this year, according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) data. However, the country which is struggling with an unprecedented economic crisis will begin a gradual financial recovery in 2024. Click here to read... [26]