The reciprocal trade agreement between Dhaka and Washington remains valid, and the United States will continue to engage with partner countries to ensure full implementation of the deal despite recent legal uncertainties.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a message on X that existing trade arrangements would continue to remain in force.
“Our trade deals covering over 40 percent of US trade in goods remain valid, and we will continue working with all partners on procedures in our countries to fully implement the deals,” he said.
Dhaka and Washington signed the reciprocal trade agreement on 9 February, just three days before the 12 February national election. Under the arrangement, an additional reciprocal tariff of 19 percent was imposed on Bangladeshi exports, on top of the existing 16 percent tariff.
However, the Supreme Court of the United States last week struck down the sweeping tariff measures introduced by Donald Trump, creating uncertainty over the implementation of the agreement.
Senior US team to visit Dhaka
Meanwhile, Washington is sending a senior-level delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapoor to Dhaka in the first week of March to discuss political relations, trade and migration issues.
According to foreign ministry and diplomatic sources, Kapoor is expected to meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed during the visit.
Formal bilateral talks are likely to be held between Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Kapoor.
A senior foreign ministry official said the visit reflects Washington’s intention to engage closely with the new government in Dhaka.
“The new government has recently assumed office, and Washington wants to engage with it to understand its views and explore future cooperation,” the official said.
Tariff policy still under review
In another message on X, Greer criticised the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States affecting tariff measures.
“Foreign companies are benefitting from the Supreme Court’s decision, not American businesses and workers,” he said.
He added that tariffs remain an effective tool for negotiating trade agreements, reshoring critical industries and attracting investment to the United States.
“The tariff programme may evolve, but the America First policy remains the same,” he said.
According to officials, Bangladesh and the United States had reached an understanding under the reciprocal trade arrangement that would involve increased Bangladeshi imports of American goods, including aircraft, energy and agricultural products, aimed at reducing the bilateral trade gap.
One official said Bangladesh had successfully negotiated a reduction in tariff rates to 19 per cent from an earlier proposed 35 per cent. However, the structure changed following the court decision.
“Under the revised structure, the tariff rate now stands at around 31 per cent, including the original 16 per cent and an additional 15 per cent,” the official said.
He added that the new tariff structure will be effective for 150 days.
Migration cooperation continues
Migration issues are also expected to feature prominently during the upcoming talks.
Another official said Washington’s priorities include expanding trade and facilitating the return of undocumented migrants, areas in which Bangladesh has been cooperating.
“In the past year, fewer than 400 Bangladeshi nationals were repatriated under government arrangements. Some others returned voluntarily, although exact figures are not available,” he said.
The United States has requested Bangladesh to adopt the Electronic Nationality Verification (ENV) method to confirm the nationality of suspected Bangladeshis and expedite deportation procedures. However, Dhaka has yet to respond formally to the request.
Officials said the verification process is complicated due to the absence of a unified national database.
“There are several identification documents used for nationality verification, including national identity cards, passports and birth certificates. These records are maintained by different authorities,” an official said.
He explained that the Election Commission maintains national identity records, the immigration authorities manage passport data, and local government institutions handle birth registration.
“We do not yet have a unified database for nationality verification. Washington understands our limitations and remains satisfied with the level of cooperation we are providing,” the official added.
