South Asia Citizens Web

The government’s promise of ‘poverty elimination’ comes with an across-the-board reduction in government expenditure on social protection and social security. The funds allocated for the MGNREGA are frozen at Rs. 34,000 crores and have for the first time come to below 2 percent of government expenditure. Expenditure on health, education, women and child development, both rural and urban housing, drinking water and sanitation, and welfare of SCs, STs and minorities all taken together have faced cuts amounting to 1 percent of the total budgeted expenditure or nearly Rs. 10,000 crores.

Selected editorials and commentary in the Bangladesh media on the hacking to death of author and blogger Avijit Roy

We are outraged by the senseless and brutal hacking to death of well known scientist, atheist and writer Avijit Roy and the serious attack on his wife and blogger, Rafida Ahmed Bonya, by Islamists in Bangladesh.

Adivasis constitute 8.6 percent of Indians. The Constitution has always aimed to protect their interests. Has the law?

links to reports and photos of people in Dhaka who came out in the streets to protest the killing of the secular humanist blogger and author Avijit Roy