DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

In a major step towards ensuring accountability and internal integrity, the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has completed drug screening tests for over 4,000 personnel and officers across the country. The initiative, which began on 20th January 2025, was completed in March resulting in a remarkable outcome as not a single …

Dorokha Central School in Samtse is facing a critical shortage of eight teachers in key subjects, a situation that shows ongoing teacher deployment issues experienced across Bhutan.  “There are eight teacher shortages: History, Dzongkha, Mathematics, Economics, and IT subjects,” said the school’s Principal, adding that while the school has also …

The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has arrested a 38-year-old man from Sarpang, identified as Sonam Dhendup, for allegedly running a rental scam that deceived dozens of people across the country through fake house rental advertisements.  According to the Thimphu Police Station (PS), the suspect posed as a landlord or property …

The Bhutan Agri-Food Sector Strategy 2034 is set to redefine Bhutan’s identity on the global stage as a hub for premium, sustainable, and climate-smart agricultural products. This strategy, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), aims to elevate Bhutanese agriculture beyond subsistence farming and into a competitive, high-value …

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) on 17th March charge sheeted the Nu 7.9 million (mn) embezzlement case by the former Paro BNB Bank teller to the Paro District Court. According to the OAG, the former teller had left for Australia despite being told not to do so by …

To improve the overall well-being of students, the Ministry of Education and Skills Department (MoESD) has issued a set of urgent guidelines for all schools across Bhutan. These measures are designed to ensure a positive, nurturing, and safe learning environment for every child, reflecting the nation’s ongoing commitment to student …

Charo Wongdo is a newly established initiative in Thimphu that will officially begin operations in mid-April. It provides essential support services for the aging population.  The initiative is rooted in Bhutan’s guiding development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which emphasizes holistic well-being addressing not only economic progress but also …

Bhutan received 5,499 tourists in February 2025, which is 268 fewer than in February 2024, when 5,767 visitors arrived. This may be early in the year but it is not a good sign as last year Bhutan could not achieve the 150,000 tourists’ target. It also shows that while various …

Brown sugar or heroin cases are coming up recently. While the country has dealt with controlled substances such as marijuana and pharmaceutical drugs, the emerging attempts of smuggling hard drugs is a concerning shift in the ongoing struggle against drug-related challenges. From December to February, three heroin smuggling attempts have …

The Auditor General’s Advisory Series on the “Review of Local Government Development Grant” for three financial years 2021-2024 found that various inefficiencies and misallocation of resources. The report says while the introduction of the Annual Grant in 2019 aimed to enhance the financial autonomy of Local Governments (LGs), the current …