RELIANCE

MANIKGANJ, Bangladesh — The sale of tobacco and tobacco-related products within 100 metres of educational institutions has been prohibited, with authorities in Manikganj announcing plans for mobile court operations to enforce the restriction. The decision was disclosed at a quarterly meeting of the district-level task force on implementation of tobacco-control laws, held at the Deputy Commissioner's conference room on Thursday afternoon. Officials at the meeting said shops and other sales points operating within the designated 100-metre zone around educational institutions would not be allowed to sell tobacco products. Violations would constitute a punishable offence under the country's tobacco-control legislation. The district administration is expected to launch mobile court drives shortly to identify violations and take legal action against those found selling tobacco products in restricted areas. 11 Mobile Court Drives Conducted According to information presented at the me...

For millions of people, the day begins with a cup of tea or coffee. But new research suggests that how hot the drink is when consumed may matter for health, particularly when it comes to the risk of a common form of esophageal cancer. Researchers analysed health data from nearly one million adults in the United Kingdom and found that people who preferred to drink tea or coffee “very hot” had an approximately threefold higher risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), compared with those who consumed the beverages at lower temperatures. The study was published on September 8 in the International Journal of Cancer. Temperature may matter as much as consumption The health effects of tea and coffee are often discussed in terms of how much people consume. The new findings suggest that temperature may also deserve attention. The researchers found an association between drinking six or more hot beverages a day and an increased risk of esophageal SCC. One possible explanation...

DHAKA — Banks across Bangladesh will keep relevant branches open on Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26 , to facilitate payments for Hajj registration, according to a directive issued by Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday. The central bank issued the instruction following a request from the Ministry of Religious Affairs dated September 20. Under the directive, branches of banks authorised to collect Hajj registration payments must remain open on both days to receive deposits from prospective pilgrims. Bangladesh Bank also instructed the concerned banks to continue accepting payments beyond regular banking hours if a Hajj applicant arrives before the branch closes its service. Banks must ensure adequate security and complete the payment process for applicants who remain at the branch after normal banking hours. The special banking arrangement has been introduced to ensure that prospective pilgrims can complete their registration payments within the stipulated period without disruption. ...

DHAKA — Bangladesh’s growing dependence on imported cotton yarn is putting pressure on the country’s domestic spinning industry, with local manufacturers warning that a substantial portion of their production capacity remains idle despite billions of dollars invested in the sector. Imports of cotton yarn in the 10-to-30-count range have nearly doubled in two years, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce’s Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA). Shipments rose from 350.8 million kilograms in fiscal 2022-23 to 697.1 million kilograms in fiscal 2024-25 . The value of those imports in 2024-25 was approximately Tk 267 billion . Industry representatives say the surge has come at a time when many domestic spinning mills are operating well below capacity, raising concerns about the sustainability of Bangladesh’s textile supply chain and the viability of investments made in local production. Imports surge as local capacity remains underused Total yarn import payments reached nea...

DHAKA — Bangladesh remains heavily dependent on basic garments even as global demand and trade in higher-value and specialised apparel continue to expand, highlighting the need for greater product diversification in the country's export-oriented clothing industry. An analysis of export data from Bangladesh's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and global trade statistics compiled by the International Trade Centre (ITC) shows that roughly 77% of Bangladesh's garment exports in 2025 came from basic categories such as bottomwear, T-shirts, sweaters, innerwear, children's clothing and small accessories. Globally, those categories accounted for about 61.58% of total apparel exports during the same period. Bangladesh exported garments worth approximately $38.83 billion in 2025, compared with global apparel exports of around $426 billion . Bottomwear dominates Bangladesh's export basket Bottomwear — including trousers, shorts and skirts — was the single largest category in B...

International Desk: Gold prices fell sharply in global markets on Wednesday as a stronger U.S. dollar and expectations of a tighter monetary policy stance from the Federal Reserve weighed on investor sentiment. Spot gold was down 0.9% at $4,316.78 an ounce at around 2:47 p.m. Bangladesh time. U.S. gold futures for December delivery fell 0.5% to $4,354 an ounce. The decline came as investors assessed the outlook for U.S. interest rates and the broader implications for the dollar and bond yields. Higher interest rates generally reduce the appeal of gold, which does not generate interest or other regular income. Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said gold was currently trading within a range of about $4,300 to $4,400 an ounce. He said comments from Federal Reserve officials, U.S. interest rates, bond yields and their impact on the dollar, along with movements in oil prices, were playing an important role in short-term investment decisions. Fed policy remains in focus T...

TANGAIL, Bangladesh — Bangladesh’s anti-graft agency has launched an investigation into allegations that bamboo was used in place of steel reinforcement during construction of a footpath slab on a bridge being built at a cost of more than Tk 100 million ($830,000) in Tangail’s Basail upazila. A team from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) inspected the under-construction bridge on Wednesday and examined several sections of the structure, including the footpath slabs and railing pillars. The inspection was led by Biplob Hossain, an assistant director at the ACC’s Tangail district office. Other officials, including deputy assistant director Based Ali, also took part. “Initially, it appears that there may have been irregularities,” Hossain told reporters after the inspection. He said officials broke open sections of the footpath slab and railing pillars and found that the quantity of steel reinforcement in some areas appeared to be lower than required. The findings will be reviewed by ...