Refayet Ullah Mirdha

The government will hold talks with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) this week to determine whether the recently signed bilateral trade deal remains valid after America’s Supreme Court struck down a large swathe of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Friday.

The Enhanced Monitoring Mechanism (EMM), a body of the UN Committee for Development Policy (UN CDP), will begin an evaluation process following Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to developing nation status.

If the 15 percent rate replaces the 19 percent reciprocal tariff finalised for Bangladesh under the trade deal, Bangladesh’s effective tariff for exports to the US would stand at 31.5 percent.

Following the court’s decision, the US President announced a 10 percent additional tariff on all countries

The new government formed by BNP will seek to defer Bangladesh’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to developing-nation status by at least three years, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

When Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced on February 12 that India would receive the same concessional duty access on garment exports to the US as Bangladesh, alarm bells rang across Dhaka’s garment districts.

The reciprocal trade deal signed by the interim government with the United States has raised questions regarding the economic sovereignty of Bangladesh, especially in decisions on trade, energy and security.

The United States has reduced its reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi exports to 19 percent from 20 percent, as the two countries signed a new trade agreement last night to strengthen economic ties.

The two countries signed a deal moments ago

Under the agreement, the tariff rate on Bangladeshi products may fall to 18 percent from the current 20 percent

US may cut tariff for Bangladesh to 18% under a trade agreement to be signed today, a high official says

Chattogram port workers and employees have called another round of indefinite strike from today, adopting a more hardline approach this time as they threatened to halt cargo handling at the outer anchorage, which remained out of the purview of last week’s six-day work abstention.

Bangladesh is scheduled to sign a trade agreement with the United States tomorrow aimed at reducing reciprocal tariffs, with commitments to import more American goods to narrow a trade imbalance heavily favouring Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is scheduled to sign a trade agreement with the United States on Monday aimed at reducing reciprocal tariffs, with commitments to import more American goods to narrow a trade imbalance heavily favouring Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and Japan yesterday signed a historic Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Tokyo, aimed at attracting Japanese investment and retaining preferential trade benefits after Bangladesh graduates from the least developed country (LDC) category in November this year.

Commerce Adviser of Bangladesh, Sk. Bashir Uddin, and Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, HORII Iwao, signed the agreement in Tokyo

This is going to be the first-ever EPA to be signed by Bangladesh with any country

Operational activities at Chattogram port finally resumed yesterday afternoon after a six-day impasse, as protesting employees postponed their ongoing work abstention until Saturday following assurances from Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hussain that steps would be taken to meet their demands.

Chattogram Port has ground to a halt in the last two days as workers and employees went on an indefinite work abstention over the government’s move to lease the key New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to Dubai-based DP World.

Bangladesh is stepping into a new phase of trade diplomacy as it signs its first Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan tomorrow, a deal meant to preserve duty-free market access after the country’s graduation from the least developed country club later this year.