Stories about South Asia from July, 2024
The Bangladesh tinderbox
The recent Bangladesh unrest, which saw a death toll of more than 200, was not just driven by a demand for the abolition of a quota system for government jobs.
Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression curtailed as deadly student protests rock Bangladesh
Violent protests rocked Bangladesh in the past week as peaceful students protests turned violent as vested groups hijacked the movement. As of July 24, 197 people have been killed and thousands injured.
Pakistan's intelligence agencies gain legal cover for surveillance
Despite Supreme Court rulings against illegal surveillance, Pakistan's decision allowing it's spy agency, ISI, to monitor nearly all digital conversations has sparked outrage among political leaders, activists, and legal experts.
Climate change takes toll on internally displaced women in Pakistan
The changing weather pattern dwindles hopes of building a family, forcing women to make desperate choices for survival. Women who face displacement while pregnant face unique and dangerous risks.
Uniting Nepali voices and cultures through journalism: An interview with Nabin Pokharel
Global Voices interviewed award-winning Nepali diaspora journalist Nabin Pokharel to explore his dedication to uniting Nepalis worldwide by amplifying diverse voices and stories, while promoting their language and culture.
Bangladesh: Meta accuses ruling party and think tank of coordinated inauthentic behavior
Meta's Quarterly Adversarial Threat Report 2024 noted the removal of 50 Facebook accounts and 98 pages in Bangladesh for “coordinated inauthentic behavior” and spreading misleading information targeting the opposition leaders and activists.
Hundreds succumb to extreme temperatures as severe heatwave engulfs Pakistan
This year, Pakistan experienced abnormal pre-monsoon weather and an unprecedented heatwave that killed hundreds. The intense heat, particularly in Karachi and nearby regions, impacted healthcare and emergency services significantly.
Faith turns fatal as blasphemy laws ignite unchecked extremism in Pakistan
The rise in lynching incidents, fuelled by political support for blasphemy laws, reveals a disturbing trend of unchecked extremism threatening lives and justice in Pakistan.
In Nepal, when yaks go, so does culture
Yaks, once central to the culture of Himalayan communities in Nepal, are declining because of lifestyle changes, outmigration, inbreeding, and the impacts of the climate crisis.
Pouring concrete on rice fields in Nepal
Delayed rains, a prolonged heatwave, rapid urbanization, and climate change have hampered Nepal's rice plantation industry, transforming the country from a rice exporter to an importer.
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