Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Commerce ministry to pursue bilateral deals for LDC trade benefits

LDC graduation will end pharma, apparel export benefits, warn business bodies

A United States trade delegation will arrive in Bangladesh on Sunday for meetings with commerce ministry officials on bilateral trade, progress on trade agreements and the reciprocal tariff imposed by the White House.

Bangladesh and Japan may sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) within the next one to two months as the final negotiation is scheduled to end in Tokyo tomorrow.

Debapriya Bhattacharya says decision must rest on solid evidence, strong backing from development partners

Says EuroCham Bangladesh President Nuria Lopez in an interview with The Daily Star

Key trade bodies such as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Tea Association have expressed support for the employers.

As Bangladesh approaches its scheduled graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in November 2026, a sense of unpreparedness hangs over both the government and the private sector.

Bangladesh's garment industry sees potential in US tariff policy

US tariffs slow garment exports, contributing to dip in August

Ahead of the country’s scheduled graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in November next year, former BGMEA president Rubana Huq says Bangladesh needs at least another five years to prepare for the transition.

The least developed countries (LDCs) have been struggling to graduate to developing nations for years. But at the same time, these countries fear losing preferential trade, exports, and employment. So, they hesitate and step back even after becoming eligible for graduation.

Bangladesh is set to begin the final round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan next week as part of its push to ensure such deals ahead of its graduation from the least developed country club next year.

Bangladesh is in an advantageous position compared with competing countries in the US

The government is pressing ahead with Bangladesh's planned graduation from the UN's Least Developed Countries category in November 2026

Bangladesh has been witnessing a rebound in garment work orders from American clothing retailers and brands for the next season after securing a competitive tariff rate from the Trump administration in the final settlement.

The bid to reduce the trade gap with the US is progressing at full steam, with the government allocating 600 acres of land for building a cotton warehouse and local importers targeting American cotton imports worth $1 billion this year.

The shift of the USA to reciprocal tariffs has shaken global trade. But for Bangladesh, it’s opened a rare window of opportunity

The new tariff on US-bound exports from Bangladesh came into effect yesterday, with hopes of maintaining a healthy flow of garment shipments to the American market.

Bangladesh is preparing to open its market to a wide array of American goods and services, including dairy, meat, liquefied petroleum gas, and aircraft, under a pending trade agreement with the United States, according to officials familiar with bilateral negotiations.