35% tariff by US not final, Bangladesh trying for something good as talks are on: Washington embassy spokesperson
"Bangladesh is making its utmost effort for a positive outcome, and that possibility is not over yet," says Golam Mortoza.
The 35% tariff imposed on Bangladesh by the United States (US) yesterday (7 July) is not a final decision as the discussions are still ongoing, according to Golam Mortoza, press minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC.
In a post on Facebook today (8 July), he said the next round of talks is scheduled for 9 July.
"Bangladesh is making its utmost effort for a positive outcome, and that possibility is not over yet," Mortoza said.
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His reaction came after US President Donald Trump sent letters to the heads of 14 countries imposing tariffs ranging from 25% to 40%.
Bangladesh will be subjected to a 35% tariff effective from 1 August, reads the letter Trump sent to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
This rate is 2% lower than Trump's initial rate announced three months ago, but significantly higher than close rival Vietnam (in the field of RMG), which recently secured a trade deal with the US under which its goods will be charged a tariff of 20%.
In each of his 14 letters, Trump warned against any retaliatory tariffs, threatening reciprocation from the US.
"If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by will be added onto the tariffs that we charge," Trump wrote.
