Bangladesh has made a significant breakthrough in advancing its trade relationship with the United States, creating new prospects for improved market access and stronger support for its key textile and apparel sector.
On Thursday, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman met with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Washington, where both sides discussed measures to deepen bilateral trade cooperation.
Following Dr Rahman’s request, Ambassador Greer agreed to raise with US President Donald Trump the possibility of reducing Bangladesh’s current 20 percent reciprocal tariff rate to align it more closely with tariffs applied to regional competitors.
More importantly, the two sides explored an innovative and forward-looking mechanism to support Bangladesh’s export priorities, according to a press release issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.
Under a proposed preferential arrangement, Bangladesh would be granted tariff-free access to the US market for textile and apparel exports equivalent to its imports of US-produced cotton and man-made fibre textile inputs. The calculation would be based on a square-meter measurement system.
This proposed framework is designed as a mutually beneficial solution, strengthening bilateral trade, supporting Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers, and reinforcing supply-chain linkages with US producers.
The development signals growing momentum and goodwill in US-Bangladesh economic relations and marks a promising step forward for Bangladesh’s global trade engagement.
Source: https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/