News

Arbitration offers control, confidentiality, and finality

The Constitution of Bhutan is among the few in the world that expressly recognises the importance of alternative dispute resolution. In line with this constitutional vision, Parliament enacted the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of Bhutan in 2013, modelled broadly on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration.

May 27, 2026 7 mins read 3,388 views
Falling Goleng numbers threaten Brokpa pastoral livelihoods

For many Brokpas, domestic animals are the cornerstone of both their livelihoods and their social and religious trad...

May 27, 2026 2 mins read 1,958 views
Great Yeti Quest Festival proves profitable for Sakteng’s homestay owners

Trashigang—For homestay owners in Sakteng Gewog, the three-day Great...

May 27, 2026 2 mins read 2,018 views
High NPLs and weak financing systems continue to hinder agriculture sector

Agriculture and livestock sector is opening up more widely to foreign i...

May 26, 2026 4 mins read 1,684 views
Early monsoon heat breaks records and harvest risks loom over the country

Following Bhutan’s hottest year on record, climate experts are warning that this year’s early monsoon could bring both opportunities for agricultural growth and significant risks to crops and harvests amid increasingly erratic rainfall patterns.

May 26, 2026 2 mins read 1,692 views
Govt. extends support to Arts students affected by policy change

The government has rolled out scholarships and education loan schemes to support Class XII Arts stude...

May 26, 2026 2 mins read 3,783 views
Bhutan Cancer Society launches colorectal cancer awareness campaign in eastern dzongkhags

Dechen Zangmo, a mother from Yonphupam in Kanglung...

May 25, 2026 2 mins read 2,493 views
Bhutan enters Singaporean agri-food market

Bhutan has entered the Singapore agri-food market, opening a Mini Bhutan Market at the Shangri-La Singapore on May 21, where 11 Bhutanese entrepreneurs introduced loca...

May 25, 2026 2 mins read 1,931 views
MP queries debt sustainability as Ngultrum falls

MP questioned whether the Ministry of Finance had carried out stress tests and repayment analyses under different INR-USD depreciation scenarios, and whether the government had a hedging framework in place to manage foreign exchange risks.

May 25, 2026 3 mins read 1,750 views
ASF outbreak wipes out pig farms in Norbugang, exposes insurance gap

Samtse—About 22 piggery farmers in Damzhagsa under Norbugang Gewog in Samtse are reeling...

May 24, 2026 4 mins read 3,528 views
Where the forest becomes the future

May 24, 2026 4 mins read 3,729 views
Sakteng losing its soul as change reshapes highland life

Road connectivity is bringing rapid transformation to Sakteng, but it is also accelerating the erosion of its unique traditio...

May 24, 2026 3 mins read 2,218 views
Private land used for farm roads to receive tax exemption

May 24, 2026 2 mins read 3,112 views
Rising non-hydro debt sparks currency risk concerns over rupee peg

During the Question Hour session of the National Assembly, the MP from Gangzur-Minjey Constitue...

May 24, 2026 2 mins read 9,454 views
Over 50 stupas secure sponsorship for 108 Jangchub Chortens project

More than 50 of the 108 sacred stupas at GMC have secured sponsorship from global diaspora n...

May 23, 2026 4 mins read 5,187 views
Govt. to roll out Nu 10,000 monthly payout for third child in June

Confronting a critical demographic bottleneck, the government is going to launch its Nu 10,000...

May 23, 2026 4 mins read 3,552 views
Darla Gewog seeks PM’s intervention over state land lease approval process

A 200-acre lease of state land to a private firm bypassed local consultati

May 23, 2026 3 mins read 4,589 views
NC endorses dedicated fund for Yenlag Thromde development

About 13 out of 20 satellite towns in the country received no development investment over the past five years. The Nationa...

May 23, 2026 3 mins read 2,136 views
Cooler, wetter pre-monsoon delays summer warm-up as experts downplay El Niño link

Shivering in May? The country’s delayed summer war...

May 23, 2026 3 mins read 2,334 views
Digital platforms pose major challenge for content regulation

Traditional films face strict regulation, but local artists are instantly uploading content on YouTube and Tik...

May 23, 2026 4 mins read 1,578 views
TVET accreditation drive to produce work-ready, world-ready, future-ready trainees: MoESD Minister

Printing delays have stalled the distribution of Cambridge-aligned international textbooks. As teachers adapt, the Ministry is stepping up TVET accreditation to prepare students for emerging global fields.

May 23, 2026 3 mins read 1,483 views
BATIF 2.0 draws global investors for high-value agriculture projects

The Bhutan Agrifood Trade and Investment Forum (BATIF) 2.0 attracted international invest...

May 23, 2026 5 mins read 1,448 views
Gelephu’s last elected mayor reflects on a town in transition

Being the last elected Thrompon of Gelephu Thromde is both a profound honour and a great responsibility....

May 23, 2026 5 mins read 7,371 views
MP queries debt sustainability as Ngultrum falls

Lawmakers have raised concerns over growing currency risks associated with the country's non-hydropower external debt portfolio, warning that cont...

May 23, 2026 3 mins read 1,582 views
NC pushes for tougher tobacco laws as cigarette, vaping imports surge

As Bhutan grapples with a sharp rise in cigarette and vaping imports, National Council (NC) members called the proposed Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2026 a necessary response to growing public health concerns, particularly among young people increasingly exposed to e-cigarettes and other nicotine products.

May 23, 2026 4 mins read 1,669 views
Major investment commitments mark opening of BATIF 2.0

BATIF 2.0 was hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation...

May 21, 2026 4 mins read 3,816 views
Bhutan and EU chart investment-focused future during Europe Day talks

Bhutan and the EU celebrated more than four decades of diplomatic relations, marking E...

May 21, 2026 4 mins read 3,101 views
13th Five-Year Plan targets Nu 517 Billion in revenue

The 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP) total revenue is likely to increase from the original Nu 456 billion to Nu 517 billion following the ong...

May 21, 2026 4 mins read 2,576 views
Good Governance Committee tables four recommendations to RCSC

The MaX Performance Management System has undermined meritocracy, negatively affected morale and teamwork, and weakened confidence in the fairness and credibility of the evaluation process.

May 21, 2026 4 mins read 2,333 views
Browse Archives
NC supports Renewable Energy Tax Exemption Bill

Are we giving away massive corporate tax exemptions until 2040 without a fallback plan? While the government pushes forward with the Renewable Energy Tax Exemption Bill to cut winter electricity imports, MPs are raising serious questions about ultimate accountability.

Jun 10, 2026 2 mins read 2,088 views
Finance minister rules out flexible, instalment-based property tax system

The Ministry of Finance rejected a proposal to allow property taxpayers to make payments throughout the fiscal year as a...

Jun 10, 2026 2 mins read 1,825 views
Safety gaps expose industrial workers to occupational cancers

As the country’s industrial sector expands, workers are increasingly being exposed to cancer-causing substances amid low...

Jun 10, 2026 4 mins read 1,711 views
SMCL restores paddy field damaged by mine-related erosion in Samdrupjongkhar

The State Mining Corporation Limited (SMCL) has restored a paddy field in Phuntshothang Gewog, Samdrupjongkhar, that was...

Jun 10, 2026 1 mins read 1,709 views
Bhutanese fans tip Argentina, Brazil, Japan, England to lift World Cup 2026

As the FIFA World Cup 2026 prepares to make history with a record 48 teams across three North American nations, football...

Jun 10, 2026 3 mins read 3,861 views
Amendment to CRPD reservation fails to secure support in NC

The amendment to the reservation on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was not adopted at...

Jun 09, 2026 2 mins read 2,260 views
Study to improve road construction in high-altitude passes

Recurrent failures of pavements along Dochula, Pelela, Yotongla and Thrumshingla passes are partly attributed to design...

Jun 09, 2026 2 mins read 3,632 views
Bhutan installs first high-altitude black carbon monitoring station

The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), in partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mo...

Jun 08, 2026 2 mins read 1,803 views
NC forwards Co-operatives and Farmers Groups Bill 2025 to National Assembly

The Co-operatives and Farmers Groups Bill of Bhutan 2025 has been reviewed by the National Council and forwarded to the...

Jun 08, 2026 2 mins read 2,150 views
NC backs designated zones for meat shops, adopts Livestock Bill

Meat shops and meat sales outlets will be allowed to operate only from designated locations under the Livestock Bill of...

Jun 08, 2026 2 mins read 5,161 views
The trap of spiritual materialism

Apr 13, 2026 4 mins read 4,449 views
Compassion in practice: Building a win-win healthcare system

Taking care of all members of society is a characteristic of a mature and compassionate nation; therefore, I strongly ad...

Apr 04, 2026 4 mins read 3,601 views
A bumper harvest shouldn’t brew a bumper crisis

This summer, the mountain slopes above Lunana are expected to offer a bumper yield of cordyceps, or Yartsa Goenbub. But while this once-every-five-years abundance may seem like an opportunity for highlanders to reap the alpine gold by the handful, it is also a breeding ground for serious trouble.

Apr 25, 2026 2 mins read 4,230 views
Unshackling the state

Apr 22, 2026 2 mins read 4,277 views
The environmental toll of wars

The deafening sounds of missiles and gunfire in the Middle East have briefly faded under a ceasefire, offering a much-needed respite that eases global anxieties over spiraling economic and geopolitical crises....

Apr 18, 2026 2 mins read 3,681 views
A costly fiasco

Apr 11, 2026 2 mins read 5,096 views
Living hand to mouth

Apr 08, 2026 2 mins read 4,327 views
A call for shared responsibility

The government’s directive to prudently use scarce public resources, fossil fuels (petrol and diesel) is a timely intervention. The initiative calls for shared responsibility amid rising fuel costs and a supply line...

Apr 04, 2026 2 mins read 4,970 views
Dorjilung hydropower to raise GDP by 2.4%, generate 5,000 jobs

The 1,125MW Dorjilung Hydroelectric Power Project (DHPP) is expected to boost the country’s economy, raising gross domes...

Jan 31, 2026 3 mins read 12,518 views
ESP Steering Committee to review Nu 575 million in unspent, recovered funds

The Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) Steering Committee will review how to reallocate Nu 574.73 million in unspent and...

Jan 31, 2026 2 mins read 10,767 views
New FDI regime offers wider access to foreign investors in agriculture

The agriculture and livestock sector is seeing an increased investor interest following major reforms in foreign direct...

Jan 03, 2026 3 mins read 12,400 views
BCCI submits 35 business ideas to govt. for private sector engagement

The Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has submitted 35 business proposals from 12 sector associations to th...

Dec 20, 2025 2 mins read 13,257 views
Bhutan attracts major impact finance commitments at SDG forum

During the two-day Bhutan SDG Impact Finance Forum held last week in Thimphu, international and high-level participants...

Dec 20, 2025 3 mins read 11,554 views
Happiness with Mr Bhutan

Studies and end of life accounts consistently show that many of us leave this world with the same stinging regrets: not...

Apr 01, 2026 4 mins read 4,545 views
When Words Create Worlds

Mar 30, 2026 4 mins read 3,738 views
Where to find the best momos in Thimphu

Mar 16, 2026 1 mins read 5,517 views
Bhutanese flavours find a home in Perth

Mar 16, 2026 2 mins read 5,486 views
When the watchdog has no teeth

The Bhutan Media Forum concluded yesterday, bringing together media professionals, policymakers, and civil society membe...

Apr 01, 2026 2 mins read 4,525 views
Culture under threat?

Mar 28, 2026 2 mins read 5,947 views
Promises and performance

As the government undertakes the mid-term review (MTR) of 13th Plan activities across dzongkhags, its performance must b...

Mar 25, 2026 2 mins read 5,019 views
Policy versus ground reality

The conflict in the Middle East, coupled with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, has forced many Bhutanese to adju...

Mar 21, 2026 2 mins read 5,233 views
A costly reality

The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has already made many goods and services more expensive, disproport...

Mar 18, 2026 2 mins read 5,166 views

Recents

RAA uncovers major procurement lapses in the Nu 610M BITS projects

A Special Audit Report by the Royal Audit Authority (RAA) has identified significant procurement, planning, and governance failures in the Bhutan Integrated Taxation System (BITS 1.0), concluding that the project failed to achieve its intended objectives and resulted in substantial wasteful and avoidable expenditure of public funds.

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