Stories about South Asia from March, 2020
Maldives: Can a country so dependent on tourism afford a lockdown?
The President of Maldives banned all tourist arrivals in the country from March 27, 2020. This will impact the country's economy due to a serious shortfall in foreign currency earnings.
Grief, alienation, trauma: Kashmir under lockdown
"The removal of Article 370 may or may not impact the people of the Kashmir valley, but the treatment meted out only reminds us about the brutal occupation of our land."
India stays home for 14 hours in the fight against COVID-19
Millions of Indians confined themselves to their homes between 7 am and 9 pm on March 22, 2020, in response to a government-imposed curfew to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Quarantine woes in Bangladesh amid coronavirus fears
The government has ordered Bangladeshis who are returning from affected COVID-19 countries to home-quarantine. But a lack of monitoring has led to concerns that the disease may spread rapidly.
Pakistan claims COVID-19 under control amidst rising figures
People on social media are wondering if measures taken by the government are adequate and whether there is a proper infrastructure to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan.
Islamabad's Women's Day march was met with violent opposition from conservative agitators
Right-wing agitators attacked participants in the peaceful Aurat Azadi March in Pakistan's capital on March 8, pelting marchers with stones, beating them with sticks and throwing chilli powder into their eyes.
Women successfully stage ‘Aurat March’ in Pakistan despite threats
On International Women's Day, thousands of women, transgender people, children and men participated in the annual Aurat March in different Pakistani cities to highlight the plight of women.
Media coverage of Delhi riots muzzled in India
On March 6, the Indian government banned two Malayalam news channels for 48 hours for their coverage of the violence in North East Delhi; the decision was reversed the following day.
Nepal postpones international events as fear of COVID-19 intensifies
As the Coronavirus continues spreading across countries worldwide, the Government of Nepal issued an appeal not to organize any large meetings, conference, festivals, gathering and any other events.
Sexism and misogyny in Pakistan TV talk shows
A recent ugly spat on a NEO TV Channel talk show exposes the prevailing misbehaviour, sexism, misogyny and abusive language targeting women panellists and anchors in Pakistan media.
Bhutan deals with its first COVID-19 case by temporarily shutting down borders
Bhutan's first positive case of COVID-19, an American tourist who travelled from India, prompted the government to impose a two-weeks-long restriction on all incoming tourists.
A cancer treating yew tree is critically endangered in Nepal
The Taxus mairei plant is regarded as critically endangered in Nepal. Nepal needs concrete steps to conserve these trees and to introduce a sustainable system for collecting the leaves.
In Pakistan, petition to ban prominent women's march stifles feminist voices
Aurat March has encouraged women to rally across Pakistan to raise awareness of women's issues. This year, the initiative faces a petition to ban the march for being "anti-Islamic."
Internet shutdowns in 2019: India continued to top list of worst offenders
In 2019, access to the internet was disrupted 121 times in India alone, says Access Now in a new report.
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