VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: March 14, 2022

Afghanistan

Displaced Families Call for Govt’s Attention: Tolo News

The families which were forced to leave their homes due to war and natural disasters in several provinces called on the Islamic Emirate and aid organizations to provide them with support as they are struggling with severe economic challengesClick here to read... [2]

Six million Afghans are internally displaced: IOM: The Khaama Press

International Organization of Migration (IOM) in its latest report said that there are currently six million people displaced internally adding that drought and conflicts have triggered the people to locate from their residences. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Lithuania cancels vaccine donations to Bangladesh for not condemning Russian invasion of Ukraine- The Scroll

Lithuania has backtracked on its decision to donate coronavirus vaccines to Bangladesh after it abstained from voting in the United Nations General Assembly to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lithuanian Radio and Television reported, citing Rasa Jakilaitiene, an advisor to the prime minister of the European country. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh MP thanks PM Modi for bringing back 9 nationals from Ukraine- Business Standard

Bangladesh's Member of Parliament Aroma Dutta thanked the government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing back nine Bangladeshi students stranded in Ukraine. Click here to read... [5]

Certain Bangladesh media coverage of Ukraine War biased against Russia- United News of Bangladesh

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander V. Mantytskiy has slammed a section of Bangladesh media for what he said "biased approach" in their coverage of the situation in Ukraine and Russia's actions there. He described it as "deliberate efforts" to undermine Dhaka-Moscow relations. Click here to read... [6]

‘A stronger than ever partnership’- The Daily Star

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis greeted Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries yesterday.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/stronger-ever-partnership-2982441" target="_blank">Click here to read...

Dairy farmers struggle as production costs jump- The Daily Star

The price of dairy feed has climbed rapidly in recent months keeping pace with the price spiral of essential commodities, making farming costlier and raising milk production costs for the millions of farmers in BangladeshClick here to read... [7]

‘Will take tough measures’- The Daily Star

Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday said his ministry will resort to tough measures, if the temporary gatekeepers who are demonstrating do not return to their postsClick here to read... [8]

AL’s promises still unfulfilled- The Daily Star

Many important election promises, which the ruling Awami League made before the 2018 elections, remain unfulfilled, at a time when the party is nearing the end of its tenure, speakers said in a dialogue in Rajshahi yesterdayClick here to read... [9]

Democratic process behind development- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said an uninterrupted democratic process for the past 13 years has been behind the unprecedented development of BangladeshClick here to read... [10]

Govt remains vigilant- The Daily Star

The government has been successful in controlling militancy in the country only because the citizens responded to calls from the prime minister and helped fight back, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said yesterday. Click here to read... [11]

‘Take leadership in addressing emerging challenges’- The Daily Star

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has urged Asian nations to take the leadership role for addressing the emerging challenges and tapping the opportunities in the rapidly changing world. Click here to read... [12]

Bhutan

Tourists welcome Bhutan govt’s decision to ease quarantine curbs: The Telegraph India

The Bhutan government has decided to relax its quarantine requirements for foreign visitors with the decline in Covid-19 cases, a move that stakeholders of the tourism industry here have welcomed. Click here to read... [13]

US & China once agreed Ukraine & Belarus are akin to Bhutan & Sikkim: The Science Wire

The conversation took place at a time when the US was breaking ice with China, taking advantage of the Sino-Soviet split amid lukewarm ties between the US and India. Click here to read... [14]

Maldives

Revival of tourism contributes to higher revenue for Maldives: Daiji World

Revival of tourism in the Maldives has contributed to higher revenue for the island nation in the first two months this year compared to the same period in 2021. Click here to read... [15]

Maldives refutes claims of foreign forces' presence in archipelago: Big news network

Amid the ongoing 'India Out' campaign in the Maldives against the supposed "Indian military presence" in the archipelago, the Maldivian defence ministry has cleared that no armed foreign military personnel are present in the country. Click here to read... [16]

Myanmar

Armed Resistance to Myanmar Junta Holding Firm Against Military Onslaught - Voice of America

The armed resistance to Myanmar’s military regime that seized power from a democratically elected government over a year ago is holding firm against a wave of brutal offensives in recent months and may even be gaining strength, analysts say. Click here to read... [17]

World Needs To Impose More Sanctions On Myanmar Military – Eurasia Review

Myanmar’s military government has been attacking civilians since the February 1 coup last year with weapons provided by China, Russia, and Serbia. This was stated in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in February on the human rights situation in Myanmar. Click here to read... [18]

Charred bodies of Karenni civilians found following Myanmar army assault - Myanmar Now

The burnt bodies of five civilians were found in early March by a local defence force in two villages in Karenni (Kayah) State, following a series of attacks by junta forces in the regionClick here to read... [19]

Former MP candidate in southern Rakhine charged under anti-terror law for ‘supporting’ armed resistance - Myanmar Now

A former parliamentary candidate is among two men in southern Rakhine State who were charged with terrorism offences on Wednesday for allegedly supporting the anti-junta People’s Defence Force (PDF), their lawyer has said. Click here to read... [20]

The Russian Invasion of Ukraine Through a Burmese Lens - The Diplomat

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent humanitarian catastrophe have become major topics of interest for Burmese netizens. Click here to read... [21]

Nepal

India evacuates four more Nepalis from Ukraine- The Kathmandu Post

India has evacuated four more Nepali nationals from Ukraine which is facing the Russian invasion for the last two weeks. Click here to read... [22]

Nepal’s evacuation lessons after Afghan and Ukraine crises- The Kathmandu Post

Last year in August also, when the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban, the Nepal government could not do anything to rescue its citizens. It did not have the data on Nepalis in Afghanistan. As it scrambled to bring Nepalis home, Kathmandu looked to foreign powers for help. Click here to read... [23]

Cash margin on import to address challenges in economy: Finance Minister Sharma- The Himalayan Times
Minister for Finance Janardan Sharma asserted that the government imposed cash margin on the import to address the challenges seen in Nepal's economy. Click here to read... [24]

Budget for populist projects in election year a pattern, observers say- The Kathmandu Post

Government officials and observers are suspicious whether the government would continue the policy of not allocating budget for local road projects at a time when the government has already fixed the date for local elections for May 13 and provincial and federal elections will also be held in 2022. Click here to read... [25]

With motion to impeach Rana tabled in the House, new questions arise- The Kathmandu Post

The impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has been tabled in the House of Representatives for further discussions, a month after it was registered in Parliament. Click here to read... [26]

More private companies keen on selling power to India and Bangladesh- The Kathmandu Post

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility body, sold electricity in India's power exchange market for over a month from the beginning of November last year. It was the first time that Nepal sold electricity to the southern neighbour’s power exchange market through a competitive bidding. Click here to read... [27]

Sri Lanka

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Economic implications for Sri Lanka: Sunday Observer

The ongoing military conflict in Europe could not have come at a worse time for Sri Lanka given its own prevailing high inflation, rising energy costs, and scarcity of foreign exchange. Click here to read... [28]

Ukraine crisis and Sri Lanka, Security Implications: The Island

Before the present crisis engulfed Ukraine most Sri Lankans would have been hard pressed to find Ukraine on the map despite its huge territory and ancient civilization (603,628 km2 , making it the second largest country in Europe after Russia. Click here to read... [29]

Sri Lanka tightens trade rules to boost currency reserves: The Economic Times

Sri Lanka is tackling its worst financial crisis in over a decade, struggling to pay for critical imports including fuel, food and medicines and with just $2.31 billion of reserves. Click here to read... [30]

After port terminal deal, Adani group bags power projects in Sri Lanka: The Hindu

India’s Adani Group has signed a deal for two large power projects in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, six months after it bagged a strategic port terminal project in Colombo that it is now executing with majority stakes. Click here to read... [31]

Pakistan

Editorial: Ukraine crisis and Pakistan: Dawn

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a point of inflection in world affairs, similar to the US outreach to China in the early 1970s and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Click here to read... [32]

No-trust move: Next 48 hours crucial: The News

There could be two reasons why Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to bring an estimated ‘one million’ people outside the Parliament House or at the D-Chowk, Islamabad a day before the vote on no-confidence motion. First is to pressurise his own party ‘dissidents’ and second, in case a vote is carried against him, he would go to container again on the same day. Click here to read... [33]

What Is Driving Pakistan’s Outreach to Russia?: The Diplomat

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the Ukraine crisis came under great scrutiny. Click here to read... [34]