The interim government of Bangladesh will sign a tariff agreement with the United States on February 9 in Washington, D.C.—three days ahead of the national polls—officials said Sunday. The delegation will be led by Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, not Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin as initially planned.
Rahman told reporters the government has received the Feb 9 slot from Washington and has sent a summary seeking approval to sign. On the current 20% counter-tariff that has applied to Bangladesh since last August’s understanding between the two sides, he said some partners face the same or higher rates and expressed hope the figure “may come down,” while stressing nothing is final until signing day. Bashiruddin separately confirmed he will return to Dhaka after Tokyo and will not go to the U.S.
Before Washington, the trade team departs Feb 5 for Tokyo to conclude the Bangladesh–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (BJEPA) on Feb 6. According to the Commerce Ministry’s earlier briefing, BJEPA would grant 7,379 Bangladeshi products duty-free entry to Japan from day one, while 1,039 Japanese products would receive immediate duty-free access to Bangladesh.
Asked about the recently signed India–EU FTA, Rahman said there is “no cause for anxiety,” noting Bangladesh’s standing as the world’s No. 2 apparel exporter and describing India’s comparative strength in textiles—also a source of raw materials for Bangladeshi manufacturers—alongside Bangladesh’s own capacity in readymade garments. (European Union; India)
The U.S. tariff accord—formalizing last August’s understanding—aims to reset bilateral trade terms that have weighed on exporters. Final tariff lines and any phased reductions are expected to be disclosed at the signing in Washington.