After suspending steep tariffs for six months, US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will impose a 35 percent tariff on goods imported from Bangladesh, effective August 1. The announcement was made Monday, as the US sent formal notices to 14 countries informing them of the revised tariff rates. The move is part of a broader trade policy shift as the US escalates its global tariff regime in pursuit of what the administration calls "fair and reciprocal trade." Earlier, US President Donal Trupm in a letter to Bangladesh interim Government's chief Advisor Dr Mohammad Yunus, informed the new tarrif issue. The affected countries include major economies such as Japan and South Korea, as well as emerging markets and developing nations like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia, according to a Reuters report. Others on the list include Kazakhstan, South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Thailand, Tunisia, Laos, and Myanmar. Trump initially unveiled sweeping tariff increases on April 2, targeting over 100 countries. The announcement sent shockwaves through global markets. However, just a week later, he temporarily suspended the tariffs for 90 days, maintaining the hikes only on Chinese imports. That suspension was later extended by another three months. In letters to trade partners—some of which were shared on his Truth Social platform—Trump warned that any retaliatory increase in tariffs would be matched and added to the existing 25% duty. “If for any reason you decide to raise your tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” he wrote to Japan and South Korea. Impact on Bangladesh The 35% tariff comes as a potential blow to Bangladesh’s export sector, particularly its ready-made garments (RMG) industry, which is the backbone of the country's economy. The United States is one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding $10 billion in recent years. In 2023 alone, Bangladesh exported over $8 billion worth of goods—primarily apparel and textiles—to the US market. Industry analysts warn that the sudden tariff hike may significantly impact competitiveness, especially in price-sensitive sectors like garments. While Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free or preferential access to many global markets as a Least Developed Country (LDC), it does not enjoy such preferences in the US, where the majority of its products already face standard tariffs. The new 35% rate would drastically increase the cost burden on Bangladeshi exporters. President Trump said the new tariffs are part of a strategy to pressure trade partners into renegotiating existing trade terms more favorable to the US. However, during a press briefing, he left some room for flexibility: “I would say firm, but not 100% firm. If they call up and they say we'd like to do something a different way, we're going to be open to that.” The Bangladesh government and key exporters have yet to officially respond to the announcement. Trade experts suggest that urgent diplomatic engagement may be necessary to mitigate the potential economic fallout.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across four divisions, including Dhaka, as the southwest monsoon remains active over the region. In a special warning issued on Tuesday morning, the department said that some areas in the Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna and Barishal divisions may experience significant rainfall over the next 24 hours, starting from 10am. The department also warned of potential landslides in the hilly areas of the Chattogram Division due to the expected heavy rainfall. Temporary waterlogging may occur in parts of the metropolitan areas of Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna as a result of the downpours. Generally, rainfall is considered light when 1-10mm is recorded in a 24-hour period, moderate when 11-22mm falls, moderately heavy between 23-43mm. Rainfall between 44-88 mm is deemed heavy, while any amount above 88mm qualifies as very heavy. CAUTIONARY SIGNAL NO. 3 AT SEAPORTS A low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining areas has prompted the BMD to instruct the four maritime ports in Bangladesh to maintain local cautionary signal No. 3. In its regular bulletin on Monday, the department said the Mongla, Cox’s Bazar, Payra and Chattogram ports have been advised to keep the signal hoisted due to the weather system. Meteorologist Shahnaz Sultana told bdnews24.com that the low pressure is unlikely to intensify into a depression. “The rainfall will continue today and tomorrow (Wednesday),” she said. “It will decrease tomorrow afternoon.” She added that the rain is expected to ease slightly on Jul 10 and 11 before increasing again on Jul 13 and 14. The department also noted that the axis of the monsoon winds extends from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, passing through the low’s centre and the southern part of Bangladesh, stretching toward Assam. A further extension reaches into the northern Bay of Bengal. Monsoon winds remain active over southern Bangladesh, fairly active elsewhere in the country, and strong in the north Bay of Bengal. The forecast says that under its influence, light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds may occur in most areas of Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, and in many parts of Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions. Day temperature across the country may drop slightly, while night temperatures are expected to remain mostly unchanged. In the last 24 hours, the highest recorded rainfall was 157mm in Cox’s Bazar. Other significant rainfall totals included 146mm in Hatia, 142mm in Patuakhali, 134mm in Feni, and 121mm in Khepupara. The highest temperature during the period was 35.2 degrees Celsius in Dimla, Nilphamari. The lowest was 23 degrees Celsius in Tangail.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday Britain and France must work together to counter the world's many destabilising threats and protect Europe from "excessive dependencies" on the United States and China. Macron, in a rare address to both houses of the British parliament, celebrated the return of closer ties between the two countries as he became the first European leader to be invited for a British state visit since Brexit. Having been greeted earlier by the British royal family, Macron set out to parliament where he said the two countries needed to come together to strengthen Europe, including on defence, immigration, climate and trade. "The United Kingdom and France must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference," he said. "The only way to overcome the challenges we have, the challenges of our times, will be to go together hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder." Listing the geopolitical threats the countries face, Macron argued they should also be wary of the "excessive dependencies of both the US and China," saying they needed to "de-risk our economies and our societies from this dual dependency." But he also set out the opportunities of a closer union, saying they should make it easier for students, researchers and artists to live in each other's countries, and seek a way to work together on artificial intelligence and protect children online. The speech symbolised the improvement in relations sought by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's centre-left Labour Party, as part of a broader reset of ties with European allies following the rancour that exploded over Britain's departure from the European Union. STRONG TIES Macron, who enjoys a strong personal relationship with King Charles, was earlier greeted by the royal family, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Princess Catherine, before they travelled in horse-drawn carriages for a procession in Windsor. "I have to confess that we love monarchy, but especially when it's not at home," he later told parliament. Charles is also expected to emphasise "the multitude of complex threats" both countries face in a speech he will deliver at a state dinner at Windsor later. The 76-year-old monarch, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, had a noticeably red right eye when he met Macron. A Buckingham Palace source said he had suffered a burst blood vessel that was unrelated to any other health condition. Britain and France marked the three-day visit with an announcement that French nuclear energy utility EDF would invest £1.1 billion ($1.5 billion) in a project to build a nuclear power station in eastern England. The two countries also announced that France would lend Britain the Bayeux Tapestry, allowing the 11th-century masterpiece to return across the Channel for the first time in more than 900 years, in exchange for Britain loaning France Anglo-Saxon and Viking treasures. The state visit comes 16 years after the late Queen Elizabeth hosted then French president Nicolas Sarkozy. Although there have been tensions over the shape of post-Brexit ties and how to stop asylum seekers from crossing the Channel in small boats, Britain and France have been working closely to create a planned military force to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. Starmer is hoping that will help persuade Macron to take a different approach to stopping people-smuggling across the border, with London wanting to try out an asylum seekers' returns deal. This would involve Britain deporting one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case to be in Britain, thereby disrupting the business model of people-smuggling gangs. A record number of asylum seekers have arrived in Britain on small boats from France in the first six months of this year. Starmer, whose party is trailing Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party in the polls, is under pressure to come up with a solution. France has previously refused to sign such an agreement, saying Britain should negotiate an arrangement with all EU countries.