News Broadcasting
Tara Bangla initiates Bangladesh fashion week
MUMBAI: Regional channel Tara Bangla, the flagship of Broadcast Worldwide Limited, presented a Bangladesh fashion week in Dhaka on 3 and 4 of June. Aarong, an NGO which is into craft and fashion products marketing in Bangladesh, was the main sponsor of the event.
Tara Bangla will air the event on 11 July Sunday at 9:00 pm. India (9:30 Bangladesh).
Bangladeshi designers showed that their country was ready to take on the world in terms of Fashion Design. Not content to just manufacture some of the world’s biggest brands, the country is now all set to promote its original designers who can offer both pr?t-a-porter and couture designs to a rapidly expanding market, said an official release.
The Fashion week was a result of a chance meeting Bangladesh’s renowned model Bibi Russell had with Shobhaa De, who was so impressed with Bibi’s work that she felt it had to lead an effort to showcase the country’s vibrant and energized design initiative.
When Shobhaa mentioned the idea to Broadcast Worldwide chairman Rathikant Basu, he decided to take up the project immediately. To ensure that the Bangladesh Fashion Week became a regular annual feature on the Fashion calendar, he met the leading designers of Bangladesh and proposed the formation of an apex body on the lines of the Fashion Design Council of India. He also roped in Prasad Bidapa as Producer so that the event was organized professionally to the same international standards as other Fashion Weeks, said the release.
The leading designers of Bangladesh came together under the stewardship of Bibi Russell to form the Bangladesh Fashion Alliance, their equivalent of the FDCI. With dates set in early July, the eight designers would present their collection with five designers from India invited as well.
At a glittering function held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon, one of Dhaka’s finest hotels, all of the city’s fashionistas attended in droves. Day One opened with Maheen Khan. One of Dhaka’s most directional designers, her combination of classic colours in black, white and red were translated into a chic retro collection pointed collars on fitted shirts were detailed with rows of buttons, creating a modern silhouette.
Anamika Khanna followed with a rich and texturised collection of very modern peasant inspired shapes that were layered and worn to great effect. Next, Aneela Haque, a trained graphic designer showed her mastery over the medium with her superbly printed collection of silk ensembles that floated down the ramp with great elegance and style. Here is a designer we think would make a huge impact in India.
India’s own Kiran Uttam Ghosh showed an eclectic mix of the styles she is well known for in India. Rina Lateef is a premier wedding trousseau designer there, and her collection reflected the tehzeeb and tradition of an impeccable sensibility.
On Day Two, Bibi Russell showed off a superbly detailed collection of separates and ensembles in cream and white – demonstrating just why she is the doyenne of international fashion. Satya Paul was up next, and his breezy, post modernistic sarees were a great hit, as were his vibrant colours and impeccable printed silks.
Kuhu, a painter and sculptor in Dhaka had recently made a foray into painting on textiles and fashion wear. Her unique viewpoint celebrated the Royal Bengal Tiger, the flora and fauna of her native country. Lita was the next traditionalist to show, and her Jamdhani sarees were like jewels, each one a rare and precious woven masterpiece that celebrated the colour and joy of the Bangladeshi people.
Sisters Mona and Pali departed from their signature look of ethnic formalwear to create a collection that Vivienne Westwood would have been proud to have designed, Her menswear celebrated the brash young male in cut offs and sleeveless shirts, beautifully printed and overprinted again, with a surface texture added on with embroidery. Abhishek Gupta’s funky, hip men’s wear and wife Nandita’s equally progressive women’s collection made the audience sit up in shock and awe.
The weekend however belonged to Aarong, who fielded four of their top design team headed by the attractive Tamara Abed, with a trousseaux collection of ensembles, saris and men’s formal looks that would make our designers sit up and take notice, and the buyers notice that these exquisite clothes sold for a fraction of the price of what Indian designers would have sold it for.
27 Bangladeshi Models headed by supermodels Tupa, Chaitee, Logono, Tumpa and Lisa walked the ramp with style and grace, and among the male models, the two Asifs, Xia. Abir, Alif and Abir would definitely give some of our boys a complex.
The guests present included the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Shamsher Chowdhury Shobhaa De and Dilip De, The Indian High Commissioner, Veena Sikri, The British and the French Ambassadors amongst others.
The event was managed by Momentum, a division of Unitrend Advertising and Prasad Bidapa Associates handled the creative.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
