Stories about South Asia
Rescued at sea, why do Rohingya refugees end up in Sri Lankan detention centers?
" ... [T]hey had not landed illegally or even tried to enter Sri Lanka illegally but had been brought in by navy personnel who had rescued them from a boat in distress."
Money may not grow on trees, but in Nepal it grows on bushes
Money may not grow on trees, but it grows on bushes in Nepal that are used to print Japanese currency notes. Argeli promises to be one of Nepal’s best-known exports.
BBC Bangla issues its final broadcast after 81 years
BBC Bangla radio was a source of impartial and credible news during crises in Bangladesh over the decades. The closure of its radio broadcasts marks the end of an era.
Undertones in India: Going undercover in Hindu supremacy networks
A group of researchers went undercover in far-right Hindu groups to break their bubble.
Can a literary festival bring Nepali literature to the international stage?
The 10th edition of the Nepal Literature Festival, Nepal’s only international literary festival, brought together local and international writers and prompted discussions on literature, culture, poetry, music and many more topics.
Climate change, digital authoritarianism and disinformation campaigns ruled in South Asia in 2022
With 2022 nearly over, situations in countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka were extremely difficult. So, what did this year hold in store for South Asia? Read on.
A fact-check of India’s socio-political undercurrents: the case of Zubair
The reactions and subtle usage of language and labelling by and of different actors in the Indian ecosystem symbolise the undercurrents in Indian society.
The climate crisis is a water crisis in the Himalayas
Climate change is heating up the Himalayas faster than the global average, disrupting this water cycle. The rains are becoming more erratic, groundwater is depleting, and glaciers have shrunk.
Twitter Space: What’s next for the Aragalaya movement in Sri Lanka?
Read excerpts from our Twitter space on Sri Lanka's notable Aragalaya movement. Find the full audio here.
Undertones in Pakistan: Military, Women, Blasphemy
Researchers share some of the strongest narratives that have circulated in Pakistan this year
The last of the Tharu traditional healers of Nepal
The traditional healers from the Tharu indigenous community in Nepal with ethnobotanical knowledge are bound to disappear soon because of no interest from the young generation to continue the practice.
Nepali migrant workers who built the World Cup stadiums are completely forgotten
Rights-based organizations and international media are raising their voices for forgotten migrant workers of Qatar but the Nepali media fell short in covering the human cost of the Football World Cup.
Fewer people vote in a Nepali election that includes the parties blamed for the deaths of their loved ones
Nepalis across the country were lining up on the morning of November 20 to cast their votes, with a total of 11,543 candidates fielding for 825 seats, 275 in parliament and 550 in provincial assemblies.
Charles Norris-Brown and his love for Nepal, tigers, and conservation — A tribute
Charles Norris-Brown's book "Did Tiger Take the Rain?" showcases the importance of conservation. He was writing another book about tigers and conservation, but he passed away unexpectedly on October 19.
Bangladeshis join the 2022 football World Cup frenzy, but this year it's a little complicated
As the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off Bangladesh has been gripped by football fever, as it is every four years.
Qatar refuses payoffs to FIFA World Cup 2022 workers
Three weeks ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar’s Labour Minister has rejected calls from human rights groups to compensate migrant workers involved in building stadiums and other infrastructure.
Research flags Sri Lanka where over 9.5 million people may descend into poverty
The ongoing economic crisis, food inflation, and job losses in Sri Lanka have impacted negatively on living conditions and are expected to increase poverty substantially in the country.
Undertones: Why India’s Hindu nationalists revere UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Hindu nationalists pick and choose who is "Indian enough" to serve their political interests
Egypt’s systemic greenwashing is sabotaging COP27 before it begins
While thousands of environmentalists, politicians, and scientists from all over the world converge on Egypt to attend COP27, the government is barring local civil society workers and activists from attending.
The tweets may flow: A look into India’s take-down requests
The tussle between social media giants, governments, and citizens raise questions about agency and power. Each stakeholder has tried to push back on the other to further their interests.
Chittagong: Industries versus individuals in limited water supply
Chittagong has been identified as one of the coastal cities in Asia subsiding at a rate almost 10 times faster than the sea level is rising.