· January, 2013

Stories about South Asia from January, 2013

The ‘Vishwaroopam’ Ban: Attack on Freedom of Speech?

  31 January 2013

The screening of Kamal Haasan's big budget Bollywood movie Vishwaroopam was banned in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu after Islamic organizations protested the depiction of the Muslim community. Actor-Director Haasan is fighting the matter in court and many have condemned the ban as an attack on freedom of speech.

Pakistan’s Forgotten Hindu Heritage

  31 January 2013

Shiraz Hassan recently visited dilapidated temples and gurdwaras of Rawalpindi and appeals that these old heritage sites, which depict the secular past of the country, need to be preserved. There are still more than 25,000 Hindus living in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Why Death for Distributing Polio Vaccine in Pakistan?

  31 January 2013

Aid workers administering polio vaccination projects across Pakistan are increasingly coming under attack from Islamist militants. While some Pakistanis accuse humanitarian organizations of spying on behalf of the United States, many employees remain determined to stay in the country.

Nepal: Wither Democracy?

  30 January 2013

Siromani Dhungana at United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal opines that recent political events strongly suggest that Nepal is on its way to being ruled by an autocratic political system. Additionally the incumbent Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has been accused of misusing numerous costly helicopter rides for his...

Bhutan: Security Taken For Granted

  30 January 2013

According to tourists Bhutan is a safe place. But ShyGuard at Writers Association Of Bhutan warns not to take it for granted. The blogger opines that Bhutanese should be more concerned about own security and be vigilant to stop unwanted incidents.

First International Urdu Bloggers Conference

  30 January 2013

Mehwish Khan at ProPakistani reports that the first international Urdu bloggers conference was held on January 26, 2013 in Lahore, Pakistan. Over 70 Urdu bloggers from different parts of the country took part in the conference.

Homosexuals – The Invisible Minority of Bangladesh

  28 January 2013

The LGBT communities in Bangladesh remain underground as they face discrimination, verbal abuse, physical abuse, social and legal challenges everyday. This invisible minority uses the internet and social networking to communicate between themselves and learn about the psychology and politics of sexual orientation.

Meeting the Mummy at the Museum in Mumbai

  27 January 2013

Anuradha Shankar at ‘A Wandering Mind’ writes about the ongoing Egyptian Mummy exhibition in Mumbai, India. These mummies started a global tour from the British Museum to educate people across the continents about their ancient civilization.

Bangladesh: Missed Call – A Tool For Protest?

  25 January 2013

An intentional missed call is a widely used method in developing countries to save money or mobile minutes. In Bangladesh this is being proposed as a way to protest and reduce the price of mobile internet. A Facebook event of a proposed protest by using "miss call" has gone viral.

A Destitute Women And Her Dogs

  24 January 2013

Jabberwock shares this amazing story about an animal loving old woman living in a small makeshift shanty in Delhi. She has been looking after street dogs for years now, on her meager earnings from collecting and selling reusable garbage.

Air Pollution In Bhopal

  23 January 2013

Bagchiblog sheds light on the rise of air pollution in Bhopal, the capital of the the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. The degradation in the air quality has primarily been caused by an increase in cars and two-wheelers in the cities and rural areas.

Police Use Pepper Spray on Bangladesh's Teacher Protesters

  23 January 2013

For the very first time in Bangladesh, the police used pepper spray to scatter hundreds of teachers and employees of private schools who were demonstrating in Dhaka. One teacher ended up with fatal reactions to the spray and died, sparking intense debate in Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka: Code of Ethics For Media

  20 January 2013

Freedom Of Expression Sri Lanka reports that the Sri Lankan government has started the process of introducing a comprehensive code of ethics, for both print and electronic media, in accordance with its overall aim to streamline the industry.

Turkish President's Letter To Bangladesh Denounced

  20 January 2013

Last month Turkish President Abdullah Gül sent a letter to the president of Bangladesh requesting for “clemency” of the accused Islamist leaders who are under trial for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. There has been a lot of reactions online and offline against the letter and the visit of a Turkish delegation to investigate the trial.

Sri Lanka: Reactions To The Impeachment Of The Chief Justice

  19 January 2013

Sri Lanka's 43rd and first female Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A Bandaranayake was impeached after she was found guilty of some of the charges the government brought against her by a controversial parliamentary select committee. The impeachment was passed in the parliament after the process was declared illegal and unconstitutional by the highest courts in the country.

PHOTOS: Pakistan's Countrywide Shia Solidarity Protests End Peacefully

  16 January 2013

After the bombings in Quetta killed more than 100 people of the Hazara Shia community, protests spread like fire across Pakistan. People from all sects and tribes joined hands together to show solidarity with the Hazaras chanting #WeAreAllHazara. Sit-ins were registered in more than 100 cities and towns.

Oral History Of The Indian Constitution

  13 January 2013

Rohit De at ‘Law And Other Things’ informs that journalist, blogger and writer Sidin Vadukut has uploaded a series of podcasts on the oral history of the Indian constitution, beginning with the reforms of 1858.

First Response Services In The Maldives

  13 January 2013

Maeed points out to the dilapidated state of some of the first response services in Maldives and wonders whether it is effective for donor agencies and financial supporters to invest in the Maldives.

About our South Asia coverage

Rezwan
Rezwan is the South Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.