Construction began on the first of seven planned parking buildings in the Greater Malé area. President Muizzu attended the groundbreaking for a 13-storey facility in Hulhumalé Phase 1 that will accommodate more than 800 cars and 500 motorcycles. The building, to be developed over 24 months by Batch Construction under a private sector initiative, will include vehicle elevators, EV charging points, commercial outlets, and sports facilities. Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said the seven buildings will provide more than 2,600 four-wheel and 1,000 two-wheel parking spaces across Greater Malé. Contracts for the remaining six buildings have been awarded to six Maldivian companies.
In its pre-election legal review of the upcoming local council elections, Transparency Maldives identified six main shortcomings, including the failure to provide balanced information on the referendum to voters, risk of ballot secrecy for thousands of voters, and absence of campaign finance safeguards. The referendum question on concurrent elections was unclear and overseas voters were effectively excluded from taking part, TM observed.
Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and journalist Mohamed Shahzan received death threats after the release of a documentary featuring a former President’s Office staffer who alleged she had a sexual relationship with President Muizzu. Adhadhu said it was unable to identify the person behind the threats because it does not retain information on website commenters. The outlet said it would report the matter to police. Fiyaz called on authorities to ensure journalists can work without fear. The Journalists Association echoed the call and urged police to "treat this matter with the utmost seriousness, conduct a swift and thorough investigation, and provide immediate security and protection for both journalists.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for 182 three-bedroom flats in Hulhumalé Phase 1, awarded to FW Construction under the BML affordable housing scheme. It is the third groundbreaking in the 3,260-unit programme, following CMEC's 1,224 units in Hulhumalé and RCC's 300 units in Villimalé. The remaining contracts – 1,190 units by BUCG and 364 by Amin Construction – have been awarded but construction has not yet started. All units are due for completion by mid-2028.
Feels-like temperatures across the Maldives exceeded 37°C. The Met office warned that the heat is likely to persist over the next two weeks. Schools told students they may wear their activity uniforms to class due to the heat, while the Health Protection Agency urged the public to take precautions against heatstroke.
An outdoor air-conditioning unit being serviced fell from the sixth floor of a building in Malé, crashing onto a motorbike below.
First Lady Sajidha Mohamed inaugurated a new emergency room and dialysis extension at Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital, which is being upgraded to tertiary level. The expanded dialysis unit can treat nine patients simultaneously and the ER has added six beds. Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim laid the foundation stone for a new isolation facility that will include private rooms, a quarantine area, and an 800-seat auditorium.
Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim announced plans to legalise spearfishing in April as part of efforts to diversify tourism, alongside the introduction of recreational deep diving. The Bank of Maldives will offer financing facilities to resorts facing operational difficulties due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, the tourism minister said while speaking at the weekly press briefing by the cabinet crisis committee. A simplified online visa extension system allowing tourists to extend their stay within 48 hours will be introduced in April, he said. Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed said discussions were underway to diversify import markets and establish new trade routes.
The criminal court found Mohamed Samah, from the Suvaasaage house in Kaafu Kaashidhoo, guilty of fatally stabbing Police Sergeant Adam Haleem while he was on duty on July 23, 2012. Samah was originally convicted of murder in 2013, but after years of appeals, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial in September 2024. The court is due to hear from Haleem’s heirs before sentencing scheduled for Thursday.
SME Digital launched a sharia-compliant working capital financing facility offering up to MVR 2 million (US$ 129,700) for existing businesses, with collateral-free loans available up to MVR 1 million. The five-year facility includes a six-month grace period and is aimed at helping SMEs manage short-term cash flow. CEO Badhurudheen Hassan said the product addresses gaps left by investment financing alone. The launch was held in Kulhudhuffushi.
Geotechnical surveys began for the new port to be developed in Thilafushi. The first phase of the project was awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company in February to expand the port from five to 20 hectares and include a 650-metre quay wall, a 125-metre berth, X-ray facilities, automated systems, and a bonded warehouse. MPL said cargo clearance times will drop from five days to 48 hours. Initial surveys of the international and domestic quay walls were finished ahead of schedule. President Muizzu has said the port will be operational by November 2027, freeing the current commercial harbour in Malé for other government uses.
The state broadcaster celebrated the 48th anniversary of TV Maldives, the country’s first television channel, which began broadcasting in 1978 within a 30-kilometre radius of the capital, Malé.
