The advisory council on Thursday approved a proposal to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, aimed at protecting duty-free access for Bangladeshi products in the Japanese market after the country’s graduation from least developed country status, the commerce ministry said in a press release.
Japan is one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners, and the agreement is expected to strengthen bilateral economic ties by expanding trade and investment, boosting investor confidence and attracting long-term Japanese investment. Once signed, 7,379 Bangladeshi products will receive immediate duty-free access to the Japanese market, while Japan will enjoy duty-free access to 1,039 products in Bangladesh.
Major exports, particularly ready-made garments, will benefit from duty-free access and single-stage transformation facilities under the rules of origin.
According to the ministry, the EPA will cover trade in goods and services, customs duties, investment, trade facilitation and intellectual property, along with several other key sectors.
As part of the preparatory process, a joint study group formed by the two countries published its report simultaneously on 27 December 2023, recommending a comprehensive negotiation framework covering 17 sectors.
Bangladesh and Japan formally announced the launch of negotiations on 12 March 2024. Given the agreement’s importance to economic growth, the interim government prioritised the process from November 2024 and set a target to complete the deal within one year.
The commerce ministry said multiple meetings were held with relevant stakeholders on sector-specific issues and the overall structure of the agreement. Under an agreed work plan, the two sides finalised the EPA text through seven rounds of negotiations.
The ministry added that the direct involvement of Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin and the chief adviser’s special envoy on international affairs, Lutfey Siddiqui, helped accelerate the negotiations. They chaired several inter-ministerial meetings and held high-level discussions during visits to Japan, engaging directly with ministerial-level counterparts.
In trade in services, Bangladesh has agreed to open 97 sub-sectors under 12 sectors for Japan, in line with the World Trade Organization’s sectoral classification list. Japan, in turn, has agreed to open 120 sub-sectors for Bangladesh.
These commitments are expected to boost Japanese investment, accelerate technology transfer and create new employment opportunities. Japan has expressed its intention to sign the agreement on 6 February 2026, the press release said.
