Asian Dispatch

In 2024, the people of Bangladesh – South Asia’s youngest country formed in 1971 – rose up in protest against the government and ousted controversial autocrat Sheikh Hasina. But this came at a grave cost – more than 800 people were killed by the police and armed forces during the protests in July and August. Asian Dispatch contributor Masum Billah investigated the severity of violence, and found that in many cases, cops accused of unjustified killings faced no consequences. Note: Since this story was published, more police officers have been arrested. Read our full investigation on our website:

At a spot along the quiet Gua Musang-Cameron Highlands highway, raw iron ore - dark and gritty like coarse sand and almost black in colour - lies in heaps awaiting collection. The ore comes from two mines near Kampung Kelaik, a Temiar Orang Asli village in the hinterlands of Gua Musang in Malaysia, which have been ravaged after more than a decade of mining. The two mines are Redstar Capital, which started in 2009, and Aqua Orion, which began operations in 2015. There, the rivers have turned a rusty red, turning the indigenous Malaysian community's home in the rainforest into a muddy wasteland. Kini News Lab, a data-driven team at Malaysiakini, conducted a months-long investigative into the health and environmental impacts of the red rivers that flow through the Temiar people’s homeland. Read the first part of this investigation on our website: https://lnkd.in/ew9-hQnh

Training time! On Feb 6, Macaranga gave training to 27 talented journalists across Asia in a biodiversity workshop by Asian Dispatch. In our sessions, we explored: ❓ "How do I better report on biodiversity?" ❓ "What are ways I can start covering wildlife trade?" Macaranga is part of the Asian Dispatch collective, and we brought our training from our mentorship on wildlife trade and crime reporting to this workshop! We were thrilled to be alongside veteran editor Sahana Ghosh from India who shed light on navigating scientific literature. Thanks for this opportunity Asian Dispatch! * * This workshop was supported by the Biodiversity Media Initiative from Earth Journalism Network (of which Macaranga is also a recipient).

After the Trump 2.0 administration deported over 300 Indians this month, “illegal” Indians have dominated global headlines. With nearly 18,000 irregular Indian migrants now awaiting deportation, the news raises questions about the framing of “irregular migration”, specifically from India, the rise in Indians seeking asylum, and donkey routes. And all this obfuscates the larger question of why – despite fatal consequences – people migrate at all. Dr Sona Singh and Dr. Avantika Dureha dissect this crucial question in their piece for Asian Dispatch. Read the full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/eszgsrYD Photo: Surveillance tower in New Mexico, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in May, 2024. Credit: Dugan Meyer via Wikimedia Commons

Asian Dispatch CEO Syed Nazakat at the 2025 Open Government Partnership partnership Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting, with Evi Mariani Executive Director of our member Project Multatuli.

Quotes and crucial datapoints from our latest original where Shivalika Puri visited Pakistani Hindus who were granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act. While the government did provide them with a legal status and voting rights, a lot of them still await proper rehabilitation and access to equitable opportunities. Read the full story on the link to know more: http://bit.ly/4gv21OP

Replug | The health impacts of climate change are no longer a distant threat—they are happening now. A new United Nations report highlights how rising temperatures, extreme weather, and air pollution are worsening diseases and increasing healthcare costs, particularly for vulnerable populations. From respiratory illnesses to heat-related conditions, millions are facing higher medical expenses and greater health risks. Tackling climate change isn’t just about the environment—it’s about protecting lives and ensuring equitable healthcare access. Read more below. #ClimateChange #PublicHealth #ClimateCrisis #HealthForAll

IN PHOTOS: As Delhi headed to polls yesterday, Shivalika Puri visited Hindus who fled persecution in Pakistan and were granted citizenship. Their legal status was possible because of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which grants legal status but doesn’t provide proper rehabilitation. 1. Sona Das sits inside his kutcha home in New Delhi’s refugee colony. Beside him stands a cutout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he reveres as a god. 2. Das holds up his voter ID card ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, a milestone in his journey as a newly minted citizen under the CAA law. 3. A Pakistani Hindu refugee woman weaves a pillowcase, threading hope into every stitch inside her makeshift home in the Majnu-Ka-Tilla refugee colony. 4. Majnu Ka Tilla, New Delhi, is home to hundreds of Pakistani Hindu refugees, where small kutcha homes are tightly packed together. . 5. Neglected toilet facilities in Majnu Ka Tilla refugee colony, with overflowing garbage highlighting the lack of proper sanitation. . 6. Rajkumari Gulab, 18, poses for a portrait inside her makeshift home inMajnu Ka Tilla refugee colony. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/d_93PfmM

There’s no official figure but data presented at the Pakistani parliament in 2014 found that around 5,000 minority Hindus fled persecution and discrimination in Pakistan every year. That number has escalated over the years. Today, thousands of them have been granted citizenship. In fact, an estimated 300 of them voted in New Delhi on Feb. 5. As the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party capitalises on providing citizenship to Pakistani Hindus under the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act – which provides legal status to religious minorities except Muslims – and granting them rights such as voting privileges, Pakistani refugee-turned-citizens challenge the larger picture of what statehood really means. Asian Dispatch contributor Shivalika Puri visits the community on the eve of Delhi elections to find out more. 🔗Visit the link below to know more:

📰 #MemberSpotlight | In the face of adversity, journalists remain on the frontlines of truth. Soe Myint and the team at Mizzima News continue to uphold independent journalism in Myanmar despite crackdowns and challenges. Their story is a powerful reminder of why press freedom matters. 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/3WOcYUH How can we better support journalists working under pressure? Join the conversation. 👇 #PressFreedom #TruthMatters #IndependentMedia