Sunday, 11 January, 2026
Bangladesh has achieved a significant step forward in strengthening its trade ties with the United States, paving the way for enhanced market access and new opportunities for its vital textile and apparel sector.
The breakthrough comes after years of tension over US tariff measures. In 2018, the United States had imposed a 20 percent reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi textile and apparel exports, citing concerns over trade imbalances and the need to protect domestic producers. This had put pressure on Bangladesh’s exporters, who faced rising costs and growing competition from regional rivals such as Vietnam, India, and Cambodia.
In response to these longstanding challenges, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, currently on an official visit to Washington DC, met with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer. Following their discussions, Ambassador Greer agreed to raise with US President Donald Trump the possibility of reducing Bangladesh's current 20 percent reciprocal tariff, potentially bringing it more in line with regional competitors.
Even more notably, both sides have devised an innovative, forward-looking arrangement to support Bangladesh’s export priorities. Under a proposed preferential scheme discussed on Thursday, 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 fibre textile inputs, measured on a square-meter basis.
According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, the agreement represents a creative, win-win approach, strengthening bilateral trade, supporting Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers, and deepening supply-chain integration with US producers.
The development signals growing goodwill and momentum in US-Bangladesh economic relations and marks a promising new chapter for Bangladesh’s global trade prospects. Analysts note that if implemented, the scheme could significantly enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi textile exports while solidifying strategic economic ties with the United States.
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Bangladesh has achieved a significant step forward in strengthening its trade ties with the United States, paving the way for enhanced market access and new opportunities for its vital textile and apparel sector.
The breakthrough comes after years of tension over US tariff measures. In 2018, the United States had imposed a 20 percent reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi textile and apparel exports, citing concerns over trade imbalances and the need to protect domestic producers. This had put pressure on Bangladesh’s exporters, who faced rising costs and growing competition from regional rivals such as Vietnam, India, and Cambodia.
In response to these longstanding challenges, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, currently on an official visit to Washington DC, met with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer. Following their discussions, Ambassador Greer agreed to raise with US President Donald Trump the possibility of reducing Bangladesh's current 20 percent reciprocal tariff, potentially bringing it more in line with regional competitors.
Even more notably, both sides have devised an innovative, forward-looking arrangement to support Bangladesh’s export priorities. Under a proposed preferential scheme discussed on Thursday, 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 fibre textile inputs, measured on a square-meter basis.
According to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, the agreement represents a creative, win-win approach, strengthening bilateral trade, supporting Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers, and deepening supply-chain integration with US producers.
The development signals growing goodwill and momentum in US-Bangladesh economic relations and marks a promising new chapter for Bangladesh’s global trade prospects. Analysts note that if implemented, the scheme could significantly enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi textile exports while solidifying strategic economic ties with the United States.
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