Dhaka, Washington to continue inter-ministerial dialogue as tariff talks end without full consensus

The third and final day of the second round of tariff negotiations between Bangladesh and the United States concluded in Washington DC yesterday (11 July), with several issues remaining unresolved.

While the two countries reached consensus on a number of matters, others remained pending, according to a press release.

This means that despite the second round of negotiations, Bangladesh has yet to reach a formal agreement with the United States, something Vietnam was able to achieve in the first round.

In the absence of a new agreement, the 35% tariff, outlined in a letter from US President Donald Trump to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, will remain in place and is set to come into effect from 1 August.

Both sides agreed to continue inter-ministerial discussions within their respective governments, with the aim of holding further bilateral meetings, either virtually or in person, in the near future.

A date for the next round of talks will be confirmed soon, the press release stated. 

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and Additional Secretary Dr Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury are expected to return to Dhaka today (12 July). They may travel again if needed for the continuation of negotiations.

Following the conclusion of the three-day meetings, both Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin and National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman expressed optimism that "a positive outcome can be reached within the stipulated timeframe."

The Bangladesh delegation was led by Sheikh Bashir Uddin, with Dr Khalilur Rahman and the Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on ICT and Telecommunications, Faiz Ahmed Tayeb, participating virtually from Dhaka. Several other senior government officials and technical experts also joined online.

The entire three-day negotiation process was coordinated by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC.