The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has asked Bangladesh to submit a written set of offers demonstrating its commitment to reducing tariffs on American goods.
In a letter to Sk Bashir Uddin, adviser to the Ministry of Commerce, USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer praised Bangladesh for outlining its proactive response to the Presidential Reciprocal Tariff Action of April 2, 2025.
The 抖阴精品 obtained a copy of the letter.
The letter, issued on May 7, also said that the USTR is ready to engage with Bangladesh to address the persistent bilateral trade deficit by reducing Bangladesh鈥簊 agricultural and industrial tariffs and non-tariff barriers and aligning with the US on economic security matters.
鈥業 welcome the positive steps your letter references with regard to Bangladesh鈥簊 reform initiatives related to key US interests,鈥� said Jamieson Greer.
He also urged the government to address other areas of unfair trade practices, such as labour rights violations and measures that may restrict digital trade.
Earlier on April 3, the United States imposed a steep 37 per cent tariff on Bangladeshi exports, raising concerns about Bangladesh鈥簊 resultant economic fallout and declining trade competitiveness.
As part of sweeping global tariffs at significantly higher rates than before, US president Donald Trump announced hefty duties on multiple countries, calling the day of the announcement America鈥檚 鈥楲iberation Day.鈥�
Bangladesh has been slapped with the whopping 37 per cent tariff, based on the Trump team鈥檚 calculation that, as the country imposes 74 per cent tariffs on imports from the US, it has halved the amount, making 37 per cent for being 鈥榬eciprocal鈥�. Currently, most Bangladeshi goods face a 15 per cent tariff from the US.
Bangladesh sent letters to the United States specifying its strategies regarding the US reciprocal tariff policy.
However, on April 9, the US president declared a complete halt on all 鈥榬eciprocal鈥� tariffs that took effect at midnight, except those imposed on China, Canada, and Mexico.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he had 鈥榓uthorised a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff to 10 per cent during this period with immediate effect.鈥�
The country鈥簊 businesses frequently urged the government to take immediate diplomatic action in this regard.
Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said that a 90-day pause by the US is not a permanent or sustainable solution, and the government should take immediate action through diplomatic channels to solve the issue so that businesses do not fall in trouble after 90 days.
He urged the National Board of Revenue to reform the structural complexities to remove non-tariff barriers.
鈥楾o protect ourselves from the purview of the US tariff, we must narrow the trade imbalance. In this regard, we can increase the import of cotton, soybean and other products from the US,鈥� he added.
In a press meet on Sunday, Rising Group managing director Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu) said that they are working actively with the government to reduce the trade deficit, with a prepared list of products that could be imported from the US.