KABUL, 31 May 2022, (TON): The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, held separate meetings with a number of Afghan figures including politicians, journalists and women activists in Turkey.

Some of the politicians who met with West said “overcoming the current Afghan crisis and the formation of an inclusive government were the main focus of the talks.”

Iqbal Safi, a former member of the parliament said “the proposal of the High Council of Resistance and Rescue of Afghanistan and politicians was to continue the Doha negotiation, reach a political path, an interim government, and an election.”

The Islamic Emirate said the commission of “Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures.”

NEW DELHI, 31 May 2022, (TON): Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said “an additional 1,500MW of electricity is in pipeline from India to Bangladesh.”

India currently supplies 1,160MW of electricity to Bangladesh.

Addressing a “NADI Conclave 2022” in Guwahati recently, Jaishankar also said “inside Bangladesh, India is collaborating on a series of road projects, including improving the Ashuganj River Port-Akhaura Land Port Road under an LoC of more than $400 million, reports The Economic Times.”

He said “the road project connecting Baruerhat to Ramgarh on the India-Bangladesh border, which will increase Tripura’s road connectivity with Bangladesh, is also being implemented under another LoC of $80.06 million.”

NEW DELHI, 31 May 2022, (TON): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed several issues pertaining to the State.

The Chief Minister also informed that he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the same issues.

Mr Patnaik told media persons here "I paid a courtesy call to PM Modi. We discussed several issues regarding Odisha and asked for his help.”

He said “I will be paying another courtesy visit to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and will discuss various issues where Odisha requires his help.”

NEW DELHI, 31 May 2022, (TON): Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra was called on by the US delegation to discuss regional developments and growing partnerships between the two nations on global issues.

Taking to Twitter, the Official spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, stated "had an engaging interaction centered on the bipartisan support for deepening bilateral ties, regional developments and our growing partnership on global issues."

The interaction highlighted the bipartisan support and its importance for India-US ties.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Chief Executive Officer of the US International Development Finance Corporation Scott A.

Nathan on Monday signed an Investment Incentive Agreement which will pave a path to strengthen and promote DFC's investments in India in key sectors.

DHAKA, 31 May 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said “he sought advices from his Indian counterpart on how New Delhi is purchasing oil from Russia amid Ukraine crisis as Bangladesh is an energy dependent country. “

He told reporters while speaking about his meeting with Indian External Affairs minister S Jaishankar "Russia offered us energy and wheat. It has become a real problem (energy demand). We sought their suggestions on how they are doing it.”

Momen arrived here last night after attending the two-day NADI Conclave with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in Guwahati.

He said "we didn't hold any formal bilateral meeting with him but we discussed on many issues in friendly manner.”

During the talk, the foreign minister said he suggested his Indian counterpart to strengthen the cooperation between the regional countries to develop own immunity against any western crisis.

DHAKA, 31 May 2022, (TON): Officials at Local Government and Engineering Department said “a total of 552 kilometres of road and eight bridges and culverts have been damaged during the recent flash flood in parts of Sunamganj district.”

According to the LGED office, of the damaged roads 500 km is under LGED while the rest 52 km is under Roads and Highways Department.

A rubber dam and a number of embankments were also damaged during the flood.

Md Mahbub Alam, executive magistrate of LGED, Sunamganj, said “the government incurred a loss of Tk 150 crore for damages to LGED roads.”

He said “the estimate of the damage may be higher.”

DHAKA, 31 May 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said “the repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homes in Myanmar's Rakhine state should be the priority of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.”

He added “They should work there to create an environment conducive to the sustainable repatriation of the persecuted people.”

Momen said "our priority is the return of Rohingyas (to Myanmar). Your priority should be the return of Rohingyas, too.”

He added that Bangladesh does not like any remarks that might encourage the Rohingyas to stay back here.

The foreign minister made the remarks while responding to a question at his office.

DHAKA, 31 May 2022, (TON): Bangladesh and Portugal are working to establish direct shipping links between the two countries to create new prospects for fast, cost-effective and reliable shipping for the Bangladeshi exporters while sending regular consignments to Europe by sea.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam appreciated the progress towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding in this regard during his current visit to the European country.

Assuring Bangladesh's full support, he also expressed satisfaction over the progress towards formation of a working group for the timely implementation of the MoU.

Shahriar Alam discussed the development after receiving the Leixoes Port Authority delegation, led by the President of its Board of Directors Eng Nuno Araújo at the Bangladesh Embassy in Portugal.

By TON Research Desk

The boundary has been more or less detailed and refined in the period 1973-1984 through talks between Bhutan and India. Regions between Sarbhang and Geylegphug remain undefined. They border the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Unless they solve the border dispute they indulge into the water dispute. Indian foreign policy has been failed as India is no more able to maintain better ties with its neighbor Bhutan. Bhutan has been entered into the emerging conflict of water resources with India. The claim on the water resources by Indian nationals is a victim of vagueness. In the days of Covid-19, Bhutan has stopped releasing channel water for irrigation in June 2020 along its border with India near Assam. Indian farmers in Assam and in border villages of India-Bhutan have been badly affected as they were using this channel since 1953. However, Bhutan has banned Indian farmers from entering her legitimate land because several people have entered to Bhutan, pretending to be a farmer. However, they are doing illegal activities and human trafficking by Indian nationals with the consent of Indian armed forces deployed on the border.

In June 2020, Farmers of the Indian villages also held a protest in the Baksa district of Assam against water blocking because Indian farmers walked into Bhutan through an open border. The farmers claim that they are the earliest inhabitants of the state. They practice the irrigation called Dong-Jamphai system, which is over 100 years old. These villagers and farmers had people to people contact with Bhutanese, but Indian forces are trying to do their smuggling business in the reward of these relations. India wants those farmers to hold official relations with Bhutanese, which will lead them to stop their self made long-existing mutual and cultural ties with Bhutanese.

A member of the local association that organized the demonstration Sewali Borgiary stated to the media that “At this time every year, farmers of the locality enter Samdrup Jonkhar (a town in Bhutan) and repair the irrigation channels to carry the water of Kalanadi River to the paddy fields on the Indian side. However, this year, the authorities in Bhutan have refused the entry of Indian farmers. Because of this, for the past five days, the dongs have not been able to carry water to the paddy fields. We need water. Otherwise, we will not hesitate to intensify our agitation.”

After the water dispute with India, China claims on Bhutan shakes the administration of Bhutan. India’s skirmishes with China halted Bhutan’s progress and increased the tense environment between Bhutan and China. India’s consistent involvement in foreign policy and domestic matters, led China to stop India’s hegemonic behavior. Bhutan stops the water just because of India’s Interference and the armed forces’ smuggling in Bhutan’s territories. However, Bhutan’s legitimate right to banned Indian nationals from entering the boundary of Bhutan.

Here the question arises why India and China involved in the matters of Bhutan?Indian government remained silent on the Bhutan issue. It seems that they want to make a new cult and established an insurgent group to destabilize Bhutan and China’s construction site. India’s hegemonic ambition in the region and engagement with the International community to counter China-led India policies towards conflicts and dispute to pave the way for the international community or NATO to take over the region’s security matter in the name of freedom. They also want to provoke China, that in anger or frustration, they claim Bhutan’s territories. Bhutan is a small country that faces the pressure of India couple of times and its agencies.

Bhutan engagement and progressive projects fear India’s hegemony in the region. India uses their Farmers, which is full of anger because the government is unsuccessful in playing a vital role in her foreign policy to solve these farmers’ matters. It has been observed that India’s role in the region is becoming more critical regarding all of her neighbors. India has severe clashes over water with China, Pakistan, and Nepal, which have not been sorted out. Every country in the region is becoming an opposition against India one by one because of failure of its policy over bordering countries.

Later or sooner, India will urge the International community that Bhutan’s sovereignty is undermined by China and help Bhutan, although Bhutan is moving towards in right relationship with China. Indian agenda is to bring the model of Arab spring in the region to counter China. They also support their people to take an active part against its neighbors- as they did in the dispute with Sri Lanka on the island issue-to allow international players to install their forces in the region as the contemporary world is witnessing the new concept of Indo-pacific. The Bhutan dispute of water is part of the strategy of India.

VILNIUS, 30 May 2022, (TON): US-led alliance’s deputy secretary general said “NATO is no longer bound by past commitments to hold back from deploying its forces in eastern Europe.”

Mircea Geoana told media “Moscow itself has voided of any content the NATO-Russia Founding Act, by attacking Ukraine and halting dialogue with the alliance.”

Under the 1997 Founding Act, intended to reset the relationship between Russia and the Alliance, both sides agreed to work to prevent any potentially threatening build-up of conventional forces in agreed regions of Europe, to include Central and Eastern Europe.

Geoana, speaking in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius said “they took decisions, they made obligations there not to aggress neighbors, which they are doing, and to have regular consultations with NATO, which they don’t.”

He added “so I think that in fact this founding act is basically not functioning because of Russia.”