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Foreign Minister NP Saud said that BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) offers huge markets and destinations for tourism as well as trade and investment opportunities within the region and beyond. "Political determination with common understanding of the leaders keeps the hope high for a peaceful, prosperous, resilient and sustainable Bay of Bengal. Transformation of the potentials into reality, words into deeds and understanding into results are at the core of the regional sprit to move ahead for the common prosperity and shared happiness," Minister Saud said while extending best wishes to the governments and peoples of the BIMSTEC Member States today, the 26th Anniversary of BIMSTEC. BIMSTEC endows enormous potentials with abundant natural resources, rich cultural heritages, and shared civilizational norms and values, Minister Saud said, adding that this region provides a unique link between the South and South East Asia in bringing together about 1.6 billion people — 23 percent of the world population. "Adoption of the BIMSTEC Charter and reconstitution of the BIMSTEC areas of cooperation during 5th Summit held in March 2022, among others are the instrumental steps for strengthening of the BIMSTEC process,” he said, adding, “In the decades-long journey of the regional process, we have adopted several documents, framed institutional mechanisms and developed common understandings for the cause of the BIMSTEC countries and their peoples.” “On this auspicious occasion, I feel honored to recall the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting held on 9 March 2023, which has endorsed several important instruments including the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, Rules of Procedures for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, Terms of Reference for Eminent Persons’ Group for future direction and the more," Minister Saud said. He underscored the need of effective implementation of the agreements and understanding reached among the leaders during the various meetings for bringing positive impact in the lives of the people of the region. Minister Saud expressed confidence that the BIMSTEC region will navigate towards the desired destination under the able chairmanship of the Kingdom of Thailand.  

The Madhes Province government is unveiling its policies and programs for the fiscal year 2023/24 on Tuesday. Province Chief Hari Shankar Mishra is presenting the policies and programs in the meeting of the Province Assembly at 3 pm today, Ranjit Kumar Yadav, Secretary at Province Assembly Secretariat, said. The government led by Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav is bringing forth the programs aiming at sustainable, broad based and inclusive economic growth. The government was formed under Yadav's leadership on January 23.  

The main opposition CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has said that the Citizenship Bill should be tabled in Parliament. Saying that the Citizenship Bill is a question of Parliament’s rights, the former Prime Minister, while speaking at a Parliament meeting on Monday, said that the Citizenship Bill should be tabled in the Parliament anyhow. “This bill should be brought to the House again. Anyhow, this should be brought to the Parliament. The bill should be discussed in the Parliament. This is a new Parliament,” he said, adding, “Will the President ever bring a bill at the request of the Cabinet? The government should present the draft in the House.” “The bill will be stopped if the law is not formulated. It should be brought to the Parliament again for discussion,” he said.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal claimed that the Constitution has come into track by authenticating the Citizenship Bill. The Prime Minister was responding to the questions floated by lawmakers in the Parliament on Monday. He said that the bill was sent to the President for authentication by completing all the due process. Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center), said that the government requested for the authentication of the Citizenship Bill which was endorsed by both the Houses keeping in mind the interests of the people. He opined that the bill sent by both Houses in a legal way should not be rejected by another Parliament. Similarly, the Prime Minister said that various issues were discussed during his recent visit to India, underlining that the government is serious about national interest and sovereignty. He said that both sides should sit for talks to resolve the Nepal-India border issues.