The Banani portion of the Korail slum was razed to the ground after a fire ran through it for an hour and half yesterday afternoon. The blaze started in the area around 4:05pm, and burned down around 200 shanties. PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON

Vermicelli traders of the port city’s Chaktai are preparing for their largest sale as Eid-ul-Fitr cannot be celebrated without a bowl of “shemai”. At least 90 percent of the country’s vermicilli production is used during Eid season, and the production rate also increases in the months leading up to it. However, due to an increase in the price of flour, the ingredient vermicilli is primarily made of, a 35kg basket of regular shemai now costs Tk 1,200-1,500, while that of the special “lachchha” shemai ranges from Tk 1,500 to 2,200. The photo was taken yesterday. PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN