The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) Minister, Norbu Wangchuk, moved the motion to ratify the trade and economic cooperation agreement between Bhutan and Thailand. The House ratified the agreement between Bhutan and Thailand after 37 Member voted ‘Yes’ and 3 Member voted ‘No’ while one Member abstained yesterday. The government …

Following much deliberation, the National Assembly (NA) Amendment bill of Bhutan 2014 has been passed by the house on January 30; earlier this week, the NA’s Legislative Committee moved the motion for the third reading of the bill on January 28. The amendment bill was passed after a majority of …

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF) will not discontinue the practice of community forests, says the Minister of MoAF during the question hour session of National Assembly on January 28. Member of Parliament (MP) for Nganglam constituency, Choida Gyamtsho, raised the question on the MoAF suspending the formation of …

The search for the body of a 23-year-old woman, who drowned in the Punatsangchhu on the morning of October 24, is still ongoing. Sources in contact with this paper said police personnel and army soldiers volunteered to search for the body along the Punatsangchhu and nearby areas including check-post in …

Minister of Work and Human Settlement Dorji Choden presented the report on the review of the Tenancy Act 2004 in the National Assembly yesterday. A proposal to review and amend the tenancy act 2004 was submitted during the first session of second parliament. Accordingly the National Assembly resolved that the …

A bilateral meeting between Bhutan and India on trade and transit was held in Thimphu on January 21. The Bhutan delegation was led by the Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA), Dasho Sonam Tshering, while the Indian delegation was led by the Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), S …

QUESTION HOUR The Question hour also saw questions from the Opposition on the 100 days pledges and the Local Government Entitlements Act The Prime Minister said that there are no major changes in the 11thfive year plan as well any decrease in the total budget for the plan except for …

There was an increase of 5,870 registered cases across the country, an increase by 40.12% The highest number of court cases was recorded in the capital last year, followed by Phuntsholing and Paro, as per the Annual Report of the Judiciary, 2013. While 1,054 cases were brought forward from 2012, …

Bhutan’s ranking in the press freedom index saw a significant drop compared to the previous year, according to the South Asia Media Monitor Report. From 70th position in 2012, Bhutan has been placed at 82nd, down by 12 places this year out of 179 countries. The slide has been attributed …

South Asia was not a safe place for journalist in the year 2013 as violence against media personnel and impunity against perpetrators continued to remain a major threat to media freedom. The recently published South Asia Media Monitor Report states, “Despite UN Security Council Resolution 1738 on the safety of …