Bangladesh has taken an important step forward in strengthening its trade relationship with the United States, opening the door to greater market access and new opportunities for its vital textile and apparel sector.
In response to a request from National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman who is currently in Washington, DC, US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer has agreed to discuss reducing Bangladesh’s current 20% reciprocal tariff rate with President Donald Trump, bringing it more in line with regional competitors.
More significantly, both sides have developed an innovative and forward-looking solution to support Bangladesh’s export priorities. Under a proposed preferential scheme discussed yesterday by the adviser and Ambassador Greer, Bangladesh would receive tariff-free access to the US market for textile and apparel exports equivalent to its imports of US-produced cotton and man-made fiber textile inputs, measured on a square-meter basis.
This scheme, which experts have described as a “win-win” approach, will strengthen bilateral trade, support Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers, and deepen supply-chain ties with US producers.
This latest proposal reflects the growing momentum in US–Bangladesh economic relations and marks a promising new chapter for Bangladesh’s global trade prospects.
