March 2 - Tajikistan stopped relaying RTR-Planeta, the commercial arm of Russia’s state broadcaster. Tajik authorities cited an increase in fixed costs and demanded more money from the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company (VGTRK).
March 4 - The Security Council Secretary, Amirqul Azimov, and his visiting Kyrgyz counterpart, Adakhan Madumarov, signed in Khujand, Sughd province an agreement to boost cooperation between bordering regions of the two countries. Kyrgyzstan rented a segment of Tajik territory for 49 years to build a highway connecting two Kyrgyz provinces.
March 5 - The Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) endorsed the draft law of Tajikistan “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations,” giving priority to the Islamic branch of Hanafi, to which some 90 percent of Tajiks adhere.
March 10 - The leaders of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran agreed in Tehran to speed up the implementation of projects on transportation, water/energy, the construction of communication and electricity lines, and cultural exchanges; - The Tajik parliament's lower house approved a regulation proposed by the Education Ministry to prohibit mobile phones in schools and universities.
March 12 - The government of Tajikistan appointed IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to be the lead advisor in selecting a private investor to develop the Big Koni Nansour mine’s silver deposits project, which is expected to generate significant benefits for the country.
March 16 - Electricity rationing was abandoned in cities of the Sughd province
March 17 - President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree requiring establishment of the National Center for Legislation at the President of Tajikistan. The center is set up to promote improving legislation and raising effectiveness of lawmaking activity in the country. The center will have a staff of 40; - The Tajik government announced two regions of the country as free economic zones. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Larissa Kislyakova said the two economic zones are the Sughd region near Khujand city in Tajikistan's north and the Panj region in the southern province of Khatlon. She said the two regions would enjoy the status of free economic zones for 25 years; - A woman from the Philippines was detained in Tajikistan on suspicion of trying to smuggle heroin hidden in hundreds of buttons. The woman, carrying up to 3 kilograms of heroin stuffed into 758 buttons and stitched onto 33 bathrobes, was detained at Dushanbe airport, as she prepared to board a flight to Turkey.
March 18 - The Majlisi Namoyandagon heard report by Finance Minister Safarli Najmuddinov on implementation of the 2008 budget. The minister wanted the state budget that was allocated for 2009 to be revised due to the global economic crisis. The session also discussed possible reforms in the country's taxation system and measures to help withstand the economic crisis; - Head of Orienbonk Hasan Assadullozoda donated a house in the center of Dushanbe to the city's Jewish congregation.
March 19 - The president attended a groundbreaking ceremony construction of the railway link connecting Dushanbe with Qurghon Teppa. The groundbreaking ceremony for construction of this 125-kilometer railway was held in the village of Buston, Dousti jamoat in the Vahdat district.
March 20 - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement, in which it expressed concerned that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon is preparing to sign a highly restrictive religion law - with numerous provisions that may violate Tajikistan's international legal commitments.
March 20-21 - Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi heading a high-ranking delegation visited Mazar-i Sharif, the capital of Afghanistan’s Balkh Province. During his stay in Mazar-i Sharif, Zarifi joined his Afghan and Iranian counterparts at a tripartite meeting. The ministers singed a 24-point statement, in which they called for joint cooperation to fight organized crimes both regionally and internationally. The statement also points to construction of a railway, stretching from Iran’s Sangan to Afghanistan’s Herat and Sherkhon Bandar onto Dushanbe regarding its crucial significance for regional cooperation.
March 21 - A ceremony of an official opening of the Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Hotel was held.
March 25 - President Rahmon signed the new law freedom of conscience and religious associations.
March 26-27 - President Rahmon was on an official visit to Mongolia. During hi stay in Ulabator, Rahmon held talks with his Mongolian counterpart, President Nambaryn Enkhbayar. Their talks were followed by negotiations between the government delegations of the two countries. The negotiations resulted in signing of five cooperation documents. Rahmon and Enkhbayar inked a joint statement on the main principles of cooperation between Tajikistan and Mongolia. Besides, the governments of the two countries singed the agreements on trade and economic cooperation, the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, veterinary cooperation, and quarantine and protection of plants.
March 30 - Tajik national was killed after an antipersonnel mine along Tajik-Uzbek border exploded.
March 31 - President Emomali Rahmon introduced a number of staff changes at the cabinet meeting reviewing the results of work carried out over the first three months of this year.
