In this episode, we talk about the assembly election and by-election results in India, and examine growing trepidation in Bangladesh about a 2017 deal signed between the Bangladesh Power Development Board and the Adani Group. In “Around Southasia in 5 minutes” we’re talking about the closure of the Dainik Dinkal newspaper in Bangladesh; Pakistan on the economic precipice and a recent loan from China that’s bought the country some time; shifts in the Nepali ruling coalition requiring a second vote of confidence for prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal; a new report on forced demolitions, arbitrary detention and torture in Tibet; and the Delhi High Court upholding the controversial Agnipath scheme for recruitment to the Indian Army. For “Bookmarked”, we’ll be talking about Prasanna Vithanage’s feature film Gaadi, which discusses caste discrimination in Ceylon at a time when courtiers plotted to overthrow the Kandyan king Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe.

Episode notes:

Power play: https://www.himalmag.com/power-play-bangladesh-2021/

Bangladesh’s BNP fights to make a political comeback: https://www.himalmag.com/bangladesh-nationalist-party-bnp-political-rallies-election/

Rebound or relapse: Debt restructuring in a time of crisis: https://www.himalmag.com/debt-restructuring-imf-economic-crisis-southasia/

Desecration in Drago county: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c6d7c35b2cf790541327f25/t/63cfdcc81771d947c2081480/1674566871741/Desecration-in-Drago-County.pdf

A plot twist makes Pushpa Kamal Dahal prime minister of Nepal: https://www.himalmag.com/nepal-election-pushpa-kamal-dahal-prime-minister-2022/

Gaadi: https://youtu.be/JQIEvMb6eCM

The podcast episode is now available now Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/QHajB

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3tdej1S3ea0wjaV4HuzQQc?si=aa0cc1671e524a15

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/southasiasphere-6-march-election-in-the-northeast/id1464880116?i=1000603230087

Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZNxl1MZM7ng