Bangladesh holds inter-ministerial meeting on proposed US Trade Deal
Regular meetings will now be held regarding US tariffs, said Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman.
The Ministry of Commerce held an inter-ministerial meeting today (16 July) to finalise Bangladesh's position on the proposed trade agreement with the United States.
Following the meeting, chaired by Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told The Business Standard that since many aspects of import and export are linked to different ministries and governed by their respective laws, the ministry sought input from them before finalising Bangladesh's stance.
The meeting was attended by officials from the relevant ministries, including the foreign affairs, food, agriculture, and health.
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Commerce Secretary Mahbubur further said regular meetings will now be held regarding US tariffs. Once internal discussions are complete, a formal paper will be prepared and sent to the United States. Negotiations between the two countries will proceed based on that document.
When asked when Bangladesh might send the proposal, he said, "We have inquired with the US side, but they have not responded yet."
Regarding reports that tariffs on Indonesia are being reduced to 19%, the secretary stated that he was not aware of any such development.
Earlier, on Monday, the commerce ministry assembled the views of business leaders and economists, who articulated their satisfaction with the ongoing discussions with the US concerning tariff issues and recommended against entering into any agreement that could compromise Bangladesh's interests.
