South Asia Weekly Report | Vol. IX Issue 33
Courtesy: Flickr user DVIDSHUB
COUNTRY REPORTS
Afghan forces kill 300 ISIS fighters
On August 11, US commander John Nicholson said that Afghan forces, backed by the United States have killed approximately 300 ISIS fighters in Afghanistan over the last two weeks. General Nicholson said that the military operation against Daesh had demonstrated its ability to degrade the capabilities of the terrorist group. On the killing of the 300 fighters, mainly in the eastern province of Nangarhar he said, “Obviously it’s difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25 percent of the organization at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them.”
For more information, see: US Says 300 Daesh fighters killed in Afghan operation
Thousands displaced
Thousands of civilians in Helmand province have fled their homes over the past few weeks as fighting rages on between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban. US airstrikes in the province have forced locals to flee to provincial capital Lashkar Gah as the city struggles to cope with the high influx of people. Omar Zawak, the provincial governor spokesperson said that over 30,000 people had been displaced and that there was a shortage of food and clean water. There is also an increasing fear that Lashkar Gah would fall to the Taliban as the group steadily gains control to all roads leading to the city.
For more information, see: Thousands flee fierce fighting in Afghanistan’s Helmand
Bangladesh
Khaleda gets bail in 10 cases
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia got bails in a sedition case and nine arson cases after she surrendered before two separate Dhaka courts. The arson cases against Zia were filed in January, February and March last year.
For more information see: Khaleda gets bail in 10 cases
Rise in asylum-seekers
The number of Bangladeshis seeking asylum in Europe rose from 10,000 in 2014 to 18,000 last year. It was only 7,000 in 2013.The surge in the number of Bangladeshi asylees in European countries has been noticed in a recent report by the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based fact tank.
For more information see: Sharp rise in number of asylum seekers
Bangladesh Bank to check terror-funding
In a move against terror financing, Bangladesh Bank has directed all banks and other financial institutions to freeze accounts if they belong to those whose names have come up in the media for alleged involvement in terrorism and terror financing. The bank has also asked the financial bodies to send information on all such accounts to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).
For more information see: BB moves to check terror financing
Saudis lifts ban
The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Labor and Social Development lifted the ban on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers . The ban which was in force for the past six years excluded the Bangladeshi domestic help.
For more information, see: Saudi lifts ban on Bangladesh workers
Bhutan
Border talks with China
The 24th round of boundary talks between Bhutan and China will be held in China from August 11 to 14, according to a foreign affairs ministry press release. The 24th round will review and adopt the report of the Joint Technical Field Survey of the disputed areas in the western sector of the Bhutan-China boundary, among others.
For more information see: 24th round of Bhutan-China boundary talks begins today; Bhutan-China boundary talks begin today
Policy issues under NC scanner
The National Council (NC) is currently reviewing 12 major legislative and policy issues. One of the major reviews being undertaken by the House is with respect to harmonisation of laws. The House is also tracking implementation of Acts as it was found that some agencies take up to six years to implement a law after its enactment.
No comments:
Post a Comment