Staff Reporter :
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has invited Bangladesh to resume the third and final round of bilateral tariff negotiations on 29 July, according to Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman.
Bangladesh had earlier submitted its position paper to the USTR on 22 July, proposing 26 July for the final round of discussions. However, the USTR has now officially confirmed 29 July as the meeting date. The talks are expected to take place at the USTR’s office in Washington, D.C.
Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin will lead the Bangladeshi delegation. If the talks are held in person, the team is likely to depart for the United States on 27 July. A virtual format remains under consideration, the commerce secretary noted in comments to state news agency BSS.
A few private sector exporters may accompany the delegation, though they will not directly participate in the negotiation process, which will remain strictly between the two governments.
The commerce secretary expressed optimism about securing a reduction in US tariffs on Bangladeshi exports, noting that several countries have already received favourable adjustments. For instance, the US has reduced tariff rates to 15 per cent for Japan, 19 per cent for Indonesia and the Philippines, and 20 per cent for Vietnam.
Bangladesh is currently subject to a 35 per cent tariff rate, but is hopeful of achieving a significant reduction following the conclusion of the final round of talks. To support its case, the government has offered zero-duty access for a range of US goods, including cotton, wheat, liquefied natural gas (LNG), aircraft, and other agricultural commodities.
In a move to strengthen trade relations, Bangladesh signed a deal on 20 July with US wheat suppliers to import 0.7 million tonnes of wheat. The negotiations come at a critical time as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category by 2026, making preferential access to key markets increasingly vital for sustaining export competitiveness.
