Bangladeshi companies witnessed huge responses from buyers at the ‘Texworld NYC 2025’, and the representatives of the companies were busy during the show with trade inquiries from USA and other countries. Texworld NYC, Apparel Sourcing, and Home Textiles Sourcing – the largest textile and apparel sourcing shows on the East Coast – concluded successfully at the Javits Centre in New York City, USA, from July 23 to 25, said a press release on Friday.

The event hosted over 424 international exhibitors from 26 countries and emphasized ethical sourcing, sustainable fabrics, and innovation across the textile, apparel and home textile industries. This summer’s exhibition featured a wide array of global exhibitors from major sourcing regions, offering attendees direct access to premium apparel and textiles.

From cutting-edge materials to sustainable sourcing solutions, the show floor was designed to empower industry professionals with the resources and connections needed to succeed in today’s fast-evolving global market.

Three Bangladeshi companies – 24/7 Sourcing Private Limited, GenXt International and Just James BD Ltd – took part in the exhibition, showcasing the country’s strengths in fashion apparel and denim. Their participation underscored Bangladesh’s expanding footprint in the global textile industry, driven by a strong focus on innovation, quality and cost-effective manufacturing.

Bangladeshi exhibitors presented a diverse range of fashion products and joined leading manufacturing nations such as Pakistan, China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Vietnam and Sri Lanka on the global stage.

Bangladesh’s presence at Texworld NYC Summer 2025 reaffirmed its potential as a competitive and reliable sourcing destination, with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and high production standards.

Rakib, CEO of 24/7 Sourcing Pvt Ltd, said he was happy with the fair and glad to meet many buyers. Rizvana Hredita, CEO of GenXt International, also shared that the fair went well and they were pleased with the buyer response.

A silent procession of professionals was held in Dhaka on Friday, protesting attempts to undermine the country’s democratic environment and tarnish the image of Tarique Rahman, hailed as a symbol of youth pride.

The procession, organised by the Bangladesh United Professionals Council, began from the Jatiya Press Club and marched through Kadamful Fountain, Topkhana Road and Purana Paltan before returning to the Press Club.

It was led by Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, convener of the council, and journalist Kader Gani Chowdhury, its member secretary.

Speaking during the event, Dr Zahid said democracy in the country is under threat from “conspirators operating from the shadows.”

“These elements are the main obstacle to restoring democratic governance,” he added.

Kader Gani Chowdhury said the people of Bangladesh have been struggling for nearly two decades to reclaim their voting rights, yet that right remains elusive.

He alleged that “agents of fascism” still hold influential positions within the administration and called for their removal.

Gani also demanded the repeal of all repressive laws, including the Cyber Security Act, and an end to what he described as the “politics of character assassination” and conspiracy against national leaders.

A wide range of professionals and prominent citizens took part in the procession.

Among them were Bangladesh Open University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam, senior lawyer Subrata Chowdhury, National University Pro-VC Professor Dr Lutfur Rahman, corporate leader Syed Alamgir, and educationists, physicians, engineers, agriculturists and journalists.

Bangladesh Railway will operate four special trains to transport leaders and supporters of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to Dhaka for the party’s scheduled rally this Saturday. According to railway officials, the party rented the trains through official procedures, and ticket fares will be collected from all passengers.

The special trains will operate between July 18 and 19 on the Dhaka–Chattogram, Dhaka–Mymensingh, Dhaka–Rajshahi, and Dhaka–Sirajganj routes.Farid Ahmed, general manager of Bangladesh Railway’s west zone, said ticket fares for the special trains would be higher than usual as they would operate non-stop and exclusively carry Jamaat supporters.

Jamaat-e-Islami is set to hold its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on July 19, pressing a set of seven demands, including the introduction of a proportional representation system in the upcoming national election.

At least three cases, including two with the Gopalganj sadar police station and the other with the Kashiani police station, were filed against 1,329 people between Thursday night and Friday over allegations of attacking police and vandalising their vehicles and felling trees to create obstructions on Wednesday centering the National Citizen Party rally. The death toll from the violence in Gopalganj over NCP rally on Wednesday reached five as a rickshaw puller hit by bullet died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Friday.

The government, meanwhile, extended the curfew over Gopalganj district till 6:00am on Saturday and it might be extended further while the joint forces arrested 90 more people since Thursday night. The Wednesday violence in Gopalganj erupted as security forces personnel and Awami League and its banned student body Bangladesh Chhatra league members got locked into clashes after the latter attacked NCP leaders in their motorcade.

The interim government on May 12 banned all activities of the Awami League and its affiliated, allied, and like-minded organisations until the completion of the trials involving them at the International Crimes Tribunal. Ramjan Munshi, 32, a resident of Thana Para, Gopalganj town, son of Akbar Munshi, died at about 1:45am on Friday, according to DMCH officials.

Asked about the death in a gunshot injury, DMCH director Brigadier General Md Asaduzzaman acknowledged the death but did not provide details. According to DMCH officials, Ramjan Munshi was admitted to the DMCH at about 4:30pm on Thursday. They said that the body was sent to the DMCH morgue for autopsy. While talking to New Age in front of the morgue, the victim’s brother Hira Munshi said that his brother received a bullet injury in the chest at Chowrangi Mor on Wednesday.

‘We first got him admitted to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital and later shifted him to Dhaka Medical College,’ he said.

According to police, two cases were filed with the Gopalganj sadar police station but none of them were filed in connection with the killing of five people. Gopalganj sadar police station inspector for investigation Abdullah Al Mamun told New Age that a case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 on Thursday night against 575 people, including 75 named for beating police members with the intention to kill and vandalising a police vehicle at Ulpur under sadar upazila, on Wednesday.

‘Police filed another case with the sadar police station on Friday against 404 people, including 54 named persons under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009,’ the inspector added.

Gopalganj district assistant superintendent of police for Muksudpur Circle Md Abdul Based said that Kashiani police sub-inspector Alimul Huda Jony filed a case against 300-350 people, both named and unnamed, on the allegation of obstructing the highway near Sampan Highway Restaurant by felling trees on the road. He, however, also said that they had arrested 90 people, including 66 in Muksudpur and 24 in Kashiani area, over the Wednesday violence since Thursday night.

‘We will continue our drive to arrest the accused,’ he added.

Earlier, the joint forces arrested 25 people and the number of arrestees rose to 115 so far. The Inter Services Public Relation directorate in a statement on Thursday said that the Bangladesh Army was compelled to use force at one point in self defence in Gopalganj on Wednesday as attackers threw a huge number of crude bombs and brick bats at them.

At about 7:30pm on Wednesday, a group of unruly people took away the bodies of the deceased from the Gopalganj District Hospital. They prevented doctors from carrying out autopsy of the bodies, said the chief adviser’s press wing on Thursday.

In the Wednesday violence in Gopalganj, a police vehicle was torched, upazila nirbahi officer was attacked, cocktails were exploded, brick bats were hurled, and the NCP rally venue and motorcade were attacked.

The police fired rubber bullets, hurled sound grenades, and lobbed tear gas shells while members of the Bangladesh Army opened fire in the air to disperse Awami League activists and to save the NCP leaders.

On Sunday (July 13), a government order signed by Jeti Pru, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Appointment-2 Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration, announced the extension of magistracy powers for the armed forces.

According to the order, powers of Special Executive Magistrate have been delegated under Sections 12(1) and 17 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, to commissioned officers of the rank of Captain and above in the Armed Forces, including equivalent officers deployed on deputation in the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Coast Guard.

These officers will be authorized across the country to take action under Sections 64, 65, 83, 84, 86, 95(2), 100, 105, 107, 109, 110, 126, 127, 128, 130, 133, and 142 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, in controlling offenses.

This order, issued in the public interest under the authority of the President, takes effect immediately.

Previously, on September 17, the armed forces were granted magistracy powers for 60 days. Since then, the tenure has been extended several times.

A recent spate of violent crimes across the country has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of law enforcement, nearly a year into the interim government’s tenure. Data from the Police Headquarters (PHQ) presents a grim picture of violent crimes, including murder, mugging, robbery, extortion, and mob violence, in the first six months of 2025.

Moreover, many of these incidents were caught on camera and widely shared on social media, fuelling fear and insecurity among the public. Inspector General of Police Mohammad Baharul Alam admitted that the police are yet to regain their control following last year’s traumatic political upheaval.

“You may say we haven’t been 100 percent successful. Maybe not even 50 percent. The situation is widespread … we must find ways to deal with it,” he told yesterday.

Experts warned that the situation may worsen if the government fails to take prompt and effective measures to tackle it. According to PHQ, 1,336 cases of dacoity and robbery were reported across the country in the first six months of this year.

During the same period, police recorded 1,930 murder cases, though over 400 of them were filed over incidents that took place in previous years. Crimes against women and children also remained a serious concern. From January to June this year, 11,008 cases related to the repression of women and children were filed.

In addition, 515 kidnapping cases were reported in the same period, indicating a growing threat to personal security. Mob violence remained a disturbing trend. At least 89 people were killed in mob attacks between January and June this year, including 45 in Dhaka alone, according to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra. Such incidents have continued despite repeated warnings from law enforcement officials and government advisers.

One such case is the recent brutal killing of scrap metal trader Lal Chand alias Sohag in the capital’s Mitford area on Wednesday, a video of which went viral on social media, sparking public outrage. Many criticised how such a barbaric assault could occur in broad daylight and in full view of bystanders, without any intervention.

Meanwhile, a group of armed men attacked a business establishment in the capital’s Pallabi on Friday, allegedly for not getting Tk 5 crore in extortion money. Also on Friday, unidentified assailants severed tendons and shot dead a former Jubo Dal leader in front of his house in Khulna city.

The same day, a 75-year-old khatib of a local mosque was hacked with a machete after Juma prayers in Chandpur. On Friday morning, muggers in the capital’s Shyamoli area not only snatched valuables from a man but also took his shirt and shoes.

Just a day before, police recovered the body of a man bearing multiple hack wounds, with his hands cuffed behind his back and legs tied with a scarf, from a roadside in the capital’s Mirpur-11 area.Such killings have lately hogged the headlines.

Apart from these, mugging incidents, some taking place in broad daylight, have also rattled people’s confidence in the country’s law and order. These incidents kept occurring even as the army remains deployed across the country with magistracy powers to assist in maintaining law and order. IGP Baharul Alam yesterday said the authorities are yet a find a way to make the force fully operational.

“Our main challenge is making the force 100 percent effective after such a traumatic experience [last year],” he said at an event in Gendaria.

“I’m still not satisfied [with the situation]. We’re still in the process [of regaining control],” he said, adding that operations and arrests of known criminals are ongoing.

On political ties to crimes, he said the expulsion of accused individuals from political organisations is a welcome sign. Meanwhile, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury defended law enforcers. “If police were inactive, arrests wouldn’t have happened in last two days,” he said, referring to the Mitford murder.

“There may have been some delays in action, but we acted after verifying information,” he said, urging people to contact police instead of taking law into their own hands.

Meanwhile, Rapid Action Battalion Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman said the elite force is focused on regaining public trust following criticism during last year’s political unrest. “Gaining public trust is the main task,” he said at a press briefing in Karwan Bazar.

Omar Faruk, a professor at the Department of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, said prolonged political misuse of the police has deeply damaged the institution.

“For 15 years, police have been used politically. That damage is hard to reverse,” he told. “Police still don’t behave like they should in a democratic country.”

He added, “I have spoken to several officers. They believe the police are going through a crisis period, and once it’s over, the situation will be under control, gradually.” However, he said the government has to arrange training or counselling programmes to help officers adapt to the situation. He also said curated efforts are needed to rebuild the trust between the force and the people.

Militancy in Bangladesh was once “nothing more than a drama,” from which the country has now been freed, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for Dhaka Range Rezaul Karim Mallick has said.

“For 18 long years, we were under fascist rule — we are free from that as well. We are now working as part of the new police force of a new Bangladesh,” he said while addressing a public gathering in Shariatpur today (13 July). Addressing the issue of extortion, DIG Rezaul said police are working to stop extortion on roads, waterways, and other sectors.

“No extortion or terrorism will be tolerated. Anyone involved in extortion will be arrested wherever they are found,” he warned.

The anti-drug, anti-terrorism, and anti-militancy event was held at the drill shed of the Shariatpur Police Lines at 11am today. The event was attended by leaders of various political parties, representatives of the Students Against Discrimination, family members of those killed in the 2024 mass uprising, members of civil society, and district police officials. At the end of the programme, DIG Rezaul distributed gifts to 14 families in Shariatpur who had lost loved ones during the July uprising.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today (12 July) blamed the absence of elections for the worsening law and order situation in the country and the rise in killings, saying criminals are taking advantage of the lack of an elected government.

“A government elected by the people will certainly be stronger and more accountable. I hope that together we will be able to establish a democratic state through unity and collective efforts,” he said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with the families of martyrs of the July mass uprising, reports UNB.

He called for completing necessary reforms quickly to return to democracy through a fair election. Otherwise, the BNP leader warned, the nation will not forgive the government and hold it responsible for creating these problems at a time when the country is heading towards the restoration of democracy.

“We sincerely want a change in the system and structure of the state and then to move forward with an election. There is no alternative to democracy, and the first step towards it is holding elections,” he said.

The BNP leader demanded a prompt investigation into the recent killings, including that of a scrap trader in Old Dhaka, to identify the offenders and bring them to justice.

“I would like to clearly urge the government to investigate these incidents very quickly and ensure the actual offenders are identified and brought to justice,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul also called upon BNP leaders and activists to remain calm and patient in their democratic struggle.

“To those who have made sacrifices, I ask you to wait a little longer with patience. Ensure that no one among us commits any wrongdoing. BNP has never supported injustice and never will. BNP has always stood for the rule of law and will continue to do so,” he said.

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal organised the programme at a hotel in the capital to mark the first anniversary of the July–August mass uprising and to honour the family members of the brave martyrs of Chhatra Dal. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the programme virtually from London.

Fakhrul suggested that Chhatra Dal prepare a book documenting the sacrifices of its martyred members. He also assured that if the BNP comes to power, the state will give due honour to the martyrs and stand by their families.

The BNP leader once again called on the interim government to ensure proper compensation for those killed and proper rehabilitation for those injured in the July-August uprising.

Suppliers to Walmart (WMT) have delayed or put on hold some orders from garment manufacturers in Bangladesh, according to three factory owners and correspondence from a supplier seen by Reuters, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of a 35% tariff on the textile hub disrupts business.

Bangladesh is the third-largest exporter of apparel to the United States, and it relies on the garment sector for 80% of its export earnings and 10% of its GDP. The factory owners all said they expected orders to fall if the August 1 tariffs go into effect, as they are unable to absorb that 35% rate.

Iqbal Hossain, managing director of garment manufacturer Patriot Eco Apparel Ltd, told Reuters an order for nearly 1 million swim shorts for Walmart was put on hold on Thursday due to the tariff threat. “As we discussed please hold all below Spring season orders we are discussing here due to heavy Tariff % imposed for USA imports,” Faruk Saikat, assistant merchandising manager at Classic Fashion, wrote in an email to Hossain and others seen by Reuters. Classic Fashion is a supplier and buying agent that places orders for retailers.

“As per our management instruction we are holding Bangladesh production for time being and IN case Tariff issues settled then we will continue as we planned here.”

The hold was not decided by Walmart, Saikat told Reuters, but by Classic Fashion itself.

Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.

Bangladesh is currently in talks with the United States in Washington to try to negotiate a lower tariff. Trump in recent days has revived threats of higher levies on numerous nations.

“If the 35% tariff remains for Bangladesh, that will be very tough to sustain, honestly speaking, and there will not be as many orders as we have now,” said Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director at jeans manufacturer Denim Expert Ltd in Dhaka.

Rubel, whose company produces jeans for H&M and other retailers, said he expects clients will ask him to absorb part of the tariff, but added this would not be possible financially. Manufacturers have already absorbed part of the blanket 10% tariff imposed by the U.S. on April 2.

“Only probably the big, big companies can a little bit sustain (tariffs) but not the small and medium companies,” he said.

Retailers have front-loaded orders since Trump returned to the White House, anticipating higher tariffs. Jeans maker Levi’s, which imports from Bangladesh, said on Thursday it has 60% of the inventory it needs for the rest of 2025.

The second-round negotiation between Bangladesh and United States over tariff issue ended on Friday at about 4:00pm in the US capital Washington DC keeping several issues unresolved. Washington wanted Dhaka to keep distance with companies under the sanctioned-hit list from the US while Dhaka sought necessary time to meet the US demands, said an official who attended the meeting.

Both the parties agreed to carry on negotiation to solve the unresolved issues, added the official. The second-round negotiation was convened following the US president Donald Trump’s announcement of imposition of 35 per cent tariff on Bangladeshi export goods from August 1.