Bangladesh has achieved a major step forward in strengthening mutually beneficial trade relationships with the United States, which could open the door to market access and new opportunities for the country’s textile and apparel sector.
According to a statement from the chief adviser›s press wing issued on Saturday, US Trade Representative ambassador Jamieson Greer has agreed to raise the issue of reducing Bangladesh’s current 20 per cent reciprocal tariff rate with US President Donald Trump.
National security adviser Khalilur Rahman, currently visiting Washington, D.C., met with USTR ambassador Jamieson Greer to discuss trade-related issues.
In April, the US imposed sharply higher reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including Bangladesh, and raised the duty on apparel shipments to the US to 37 per cent. The tariff was later lowered to 35 per cent and then to 20 per cent, following a series of negotiations on July 31.
Since August 7, Bangladeshi apparel items have faced a 20 per cent reciprocal tariff, in addition to the regular 16.5 per cent tariff.
In response to a request from Khalilur Rahman, the USTR agreed to reconsider the tariff to bring it more in line with regional competitors, the press wing stated.
The statement also said that both sides have developed an innovative and forward-looking solution to support Bangladesh’s export priorities.
During the meeting on Friday, they discussed a proposed preferential scheme by which Bangladesh would receive tariff-free access to the US market for textile and apparel exports equivalent to its imports of US-produced cotton and man-made fiber textile inputs, measured on a square-meter basis, said the press wing.
This win-win approach could strengthen bilateral trade, support Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers, and deepen supply-chain ties with US producers.
Press wing also said that the discussion would reflect growing momentum and goodwill in US–Bangladesh economic relations and would mark a promising new chapter for Bangladesh’s global trade prospects.
He Khalilur Rahman also had a separate meeting with Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch.
‘Even before the formal execution of the reciprocal trade agreement, Bangladesh has made major strides in reducing the trade gap by substantially increasing imports from the US and has implemented some key aspects of the agreement,’ Khalilur said.
Both sides agreed to resolve a handful of outstanding matters promptly so that the reciprocal tariff agreement could be finalised and executed expeditiously.
Khalilur noted that business contacts between Bangladesh and the US were expected to increase significantly in the coming days, driven by rising trade between the two countries.
He invited Ambassador Greer to use his good offices to ease business travel for Bangladesh in light of Bangladesh›s recent inclusion in the US visa bond.
Khalilur also took the opportunity to request Bangladesh’s access to DFC funding for its private sector.
Greer assured Khalilur of his efforts in these regards.
Bangladesh ambassador to the US, Tareq Md Ariful Islam, accompanied the national security adviser, while assistant USTR Brendan Lynch and other officials were with the USTR.
Khalilur Rahman was also expected to meet senior US State Department officials during his visit.
