Bangladesh is considering offering zero-duty access to US products as part of a reciprocal tariff agreement aimed at securing reduced tariffs on Bangladeshi exports, particularly garments, to the United States.
The move comes after the US recently slashed tariffs on Vietnamese imports from 46% to 20%, prompting Bangladesh to seek similar relief. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told The Business Standard that the government has no major objection to lowering tariffs on American goods, especially as Bangladesh is already importing items such as LNG, wheat, and aircraft from the US. He added that private sector imports would likely increase with such incentives.
However, Rahman confirmed that Bangladesh has rejected a US proposal to align with American domestic trade laws, instead insisting that any agreement must comply with WTO regulations. The US has yet to send a formal annexure to the draft agreement. Still, Dhaka remains optimistic, especially after USTR officials hinted at establishing lower tariff rates for Least Developed Countries, suggesting Bangladesh could receive more favorable terms than Vietnam. Talks continue ahead of the July 9 deadline, when a temporary US tariff suspension is set to expire.
Comment here