The demand for Bangladeshi clothing, food and other items has increased greatly in the Emirates around the holy month of Ramadan. Especially the market for traditional semai, polawa rice, jaggery, spices, halim ingredients, and Bangladeshi clothing is quite bustling. Traders say that their business activities have increased several times with Ramadan and the upcoming Eid.

Currently, there are about 10 lakh Bangladeshi expatriates living in the Emirates, who are engaged in various professions. Most of them are particularly interested in traditional Bangladeshi food and clothing during Ramadan, which increases the demand for these products in the local market.

It has been seen in various Bangladeshi supermarkets and grocery stores in the Emirates that expatriates have a great interest in Bangladeshi food for iftar and sehri. Rashedul Islam, the owner of Bangladesh Supermarket, said, "When Ramadan comes, the crowd of customers increases in our stores. Especially the sales of chira, muri, jaggery, semai, dates and milk have increased several times."

Engineer Shahidul Islam, a hotelier in the Sharjah area, said that he has introduced a special Iftar menu as expatriates are more interested in Bangladeshi food during Ramadan. Every day, iftar at his hotel includes beguni, piyaju, halim, jilapi, khichuri, beef and various fillings.

He said that our Iftar items are very popular. Many expatriates order every day, especially those who are bachelors, they come more often.

Eid shopping has started before the end of the month of Ramadan. There is a lot of interest in Punjabis, saris, salwar-kameez, fatua and children's clothes imported from Bangladesh.

Fazlur Rahman, the owner of a Bangladeshi clothing store in Dubai, said that ahead of Eid, we have brought a lot of new designs of Punjabis and saris from Bangladesh. Many buyers are placing orders in advance.

Traders say that the market is quite good this time. The demand for Bangladeshi clothes is increasing day by day because they are of high quality and affordable. The month of Ramadan is the best time for them to buy and sell. However, there are some challenges due to the increase in the cost of importing goods and rent.

This market is very dynamic as about 10 lakh Bangladeshi expatriates in the Emirates are especially interested in Bangladeshi food and clothing during Ramadan. As the traders are passing through a busy time, the expatriates are also happy to get a touch of Bangladeshi taste and culture. It is expected that this market will be even more lively as Eid approaches.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a 30-day temporary ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war.

He made this announcement at a press conference on Thursday (March 13).

He said, I support this proposal. At the same time, he said, any ceasefire must be related to the root cause of the conflict and more details need to be known.

It is worth noting that the United States proposed this 30-day ceasefire after talks with Ukraine in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Although initially reluctant, Ukraine agreed to this ceasefire proposal on Wednesday. After that, the whole world was looking at Russia.

In this regard, Putin told reporters, we agree to the proposal to stop the war. But we will act in such a way that this ceasefire turns into a long-term peace and it will eliminate the real cause of this conflict.

In addition, Putin has also expressed his interest in talking in detail with the United States on this issue.

Earlier, however, Russia had indicated its rejection of this temporary ceasefire. President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy official, Yuri Usakov, said that the 30-day temporary ceasefire being discussed would provide relief to Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. The Ukrainian troops would benefit from this. Therefore, they are not interested in this temporary ceasefire.

Ukraine has agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal put forward by the US. Now a ceasefire is possible only if Putin agrees. At the same time, the US has agreed to provide military assistance and intelligence information to Ukraine again.

A joint statement from Kiev was issued after the US-Ukraine dialogue in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday (March 11).

The statement said that Ukraine has agreed to the US proposal to immediately implement an interim ceasefire with Russia for 30 days and start talks to permanently end the war.

Marco Rubio was accompanied by US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga, and the country's Chief of Staff to the President's Office Andrey Yermak at the meeting in Jeddah. However, no Russian representative was present at the meeting.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio played a leadership role in the meeting. He said that the ceasefire proposal will be taken to Moscow and said, "Hopefully, the Russians will agree to the ceasefire." Regarding the ceasefire proposal, the US Secretary of State said, "Going beyond the proposal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a partial ceasefire at sea and in the air, our proposal is to cease fire."

Ramadan brings a different experience for Bangladeshi expatriates living in Dubai, the heart of the United Arab Emirates. Along with observing religious precepts, they spend their days working hard.

Bangladeshi expatriates working in various organizations in Dubai usually work an average of 8-10 hours. However, during the month of Ramadan, working hours are reduced slightly in government and some private organizations, which is a relief for expatriates. Many work in the construction, retail, delivery, or hospitality sectors, where working for long hours while fasting becomes challenging.

During Ramadan, iftar distribution is organized in mosques and immigrant-populated areas in the United Arab Emirates by government, private, and various charity organizations. These iftar packets contain various types of iftar items including dates, water, juice, fruits, meat, and biryani. Many expatriates collect iftar from these places to avoid the hassle of preparing iftar at home due to their busy schedules. After Asr prayers, local residents can also be seen distributing iftar to passersby.

The practice of organizing iftar among expatriates is quite old. Many people gather at mosques, workplaces or with friends to break the fast. Bangladeshi hotels and restaurants in Dubai have a large selection of local dishes including chickpeas, onion, beguni, jilapi and haleem. These restaurants are crowded just before iftar. Iftar is also organized by various social and political organizations.

In the last decade of Ramadan, expatriates start preparing for Eid. They plan to buy new clothes, send gifts to their families and spend time with their loved ones during the Eid holidays. Some try to return home during the Eid holidays, but many share the joy of Eid with their relatives through video calls due to their busy schedules.

According to the expatriates, in Bangladesh, like in Arab countries, iftar arrangements should be made for all classes of fasting people by the initiatives of wealthy and voluntary organizations.

Farid Uddin, a construction worker in Dubai, said, “Although it is difficult to work during Ramadan, Alhamdulillah, Allah gives strength. The locals help a lot for iftar. Moreover, the mentality of cooperating with each other is very high among the Bangladeshi community.”

Farhad Ahmed, a restaurant worker, said, “Iftar arrangements are very well organized in Dubai. Our restaurant also has a special iftar menu, which brings extra joy to Bangladeshi expatriates. Eating local food makes you feel like you are in Bangladesh.”

Asma Akhtar, a senior official in an office, said, “During Ramadan, there is a kind of loneliness in expatriates. However, the atmosphere in the mosques here is so good that the mind settles down for worship. "Even in the midst of a busy schedule, I can find time for iftar and prayers, which adds to the importance of Ramadan." For Bangladeshi expatriates in Dubai, Ramadan is not just a month of worship, but also a symbol of mutual cooperation and unity. Despite their busy schedules, they celebrate Ramadan by maintaining religious rituals and social ties.