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Violence Against Hindus: Is Bangladesh Burying Its Founding Ideals Of Secularism And Pluralism?

For Bangladesh’s Hindus, each funeral deepens the message that their lives are negotiable and their suffering invisible. If this trajectory continues unchecked, the country risks normalizing a culture of impunity that will ultimately consume more than one community. Violence ignored does not fade; it spreads. And the price of silence, as history repeatedly shows, is always paid in lives.

Tarique Rahman's Past Will Shadow His Nation's Future: Is Bangladesh Headed For Post-Election Conflict?

Keen observers of international and regional politics will not have missed the tacit presence of the invisible hand of the US in determining the democratic transition in Bangladesh.  Obviously, TarIque had been tutored by the Americans about the best way forward for the transition towards democratic rule and delivering on the promises on cooperation on regional security. The intelligentsia inside the country could have hoped for Tarique referring to ‘’historical’’ figures from the Indian subcontinent, the Muslim world, and Bangladesh’s past.

Nepal's Use Of Lethal Force And South Asia's Enforcement Vacuum

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation's (SAARC) Charter, by contrast, establishes no regional human rights treaty, monitoring body, or court. Scholars emphasize that governments in the subregion demonstrate a lack of deep commitment to human rights and remain unwilling to acknowledge subregional solutions. Victims of systemic violations have no forum for binding adjudication.

Trumpian Caprice Has India In A Bind: Will Need Foreign Policy Recalibration

This fully unfettered approach to everything Trump does also has serious consequences for India. At least through the duration of the Trump administration until 2028, the Modi government will have to spread around its geostrategic and geoeconomic needs among various countries such as Japan, Australia, Germany, France and the United Kingdom or collectives such as the European Union, even as it deals with America with some judicious leveraging.

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Recurrent anti-Indianism in Nepal: Need to restructure bilateral ties

As India prepares for anti-Indianism 2.0  it will eventually have to also address the deeper Nepalese yearning for a sense of equality and mutual respect, writes Amb K V Rajan (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Is it the end of the road for two main national parties of Sri Lanka?

Two major national political parties that took turns in ruling the country for seven decades are about bite the dust, perhaps ending a healthy democratic system in which these two parties ensured a stable government and a strong opposition in parliament most of the times, writes Sugeeswara Senadhira for South Asia Monitor

Resilience of the real sector key to sustenance in South Asia

In terms of a more vulnerable population which is less well paid, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal are more vulnerable as compared to the rest of the countries of the region, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

India and the European Union: Virtual summit has sent positive signals to the world

The signing of the India-EURATOM Agreement on research and development cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy will cover all aspects of research and technological development, writes Amb Bhaswati Mukherjee (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Why the BJP remains unchallenged in Indian politics

There is little doubt, therefore, that the opportunism of Indian politicians is a reason for the BJP’s success, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

Giving Iran and Afghanistan on a platter to China

China will use its increased presence and influence in Iran and Afghanistan to target Indian interests, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

To build or not to build a temple - in Pakistan

The government’s move on the temple, some media commentators suggest, is to show Pakistan in a better light in comparison with India,  which is seen as being driven by Hindutva forces that are against India's religious minorities, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

India should extend wholehearted assistance to Maldives government

The Maldivian open support against Pakistan in OIC is a victory of Indian diplomacy, writes Jai Kumar Verma for South Asia Monitor

India-China border dispute has implications for Pakistan and region

Taking into consideration the zero-sum nature of Pakistan-India relations, Islamabad maybe compelled to acquire arms in a tit-for-tat response to New Delhi, writes Maham S. Gillani for South Asia Monitor

High time for Nepal to look beyond India and China

The US aid under MCC is a golden opportunity for Nepal to look beyond India and China and seek greater engagement with other powers and to derive economic benefit and relinquish meaningless geopolitical adventures, writes Vikash Kumar for South Asia Monitor

India need not compete with China in Bangladesh: Focus should be on mutually beneficial issues

Bangladesh is a very important neighbour for India. The fulcrum of India’s Act East policy and vital for development of India’s North East, it has a major role in the success of BIMSTEC, writes Maj Gen Alok Deb (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Nudged by China, Pakistan tries to woo Bangladesh

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen met Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui in Dhaka on July 1. According to a media report, the meeting indicates a possible thaw in bilateral relations, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Need to embrace telemedicine to fix critical gaps in healthcare delivery

Given the doctor-dependent, top-heavy nature of our healthcare system, creating a functional telemedicine network in rural areas by leveraging the vast spread of Community Health Centre (CHC) and PHCs will help increase access to quality medical care, writes Vikram Thaploo for South Asia Monitor

Coronavirus waste: A new form of pollution, putting marine environment at risk

The COVID-19 crisis has slowly generated a new kind of waste made up of disposable masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) items, writes Mahmuda Amir Eva for South Asia Monitor

Can India shake off the dragon's growing tentacles in South Asia?

The dragon’s shadow has lengthened over the South Asian region as it has rapidly developed port and transport infrastructure, some of it as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor