US tariff talks' second round 'encouraging': Sk Bashir

“We returned from the US yesterday (Sunday) after concluding the second round of talks. Today, we briefed our stakeholders on various aspects of the discussions,” he told reporters following a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce.

Sk Bashir shared insights into the draft Reciprocal Tariff Agreement currently under negotiation between the two countries and confirmed that preparations are already underway for the third round of discussions.

“We are preparing to visit the United States again this month. We’re hopeful of a positive outcome,” he said.

Referring to the latest round of talks held in Washington, the adviser said, “The discussions were quite engaging and overall encouraging. I also had a meeting with the US Secretary of Commerce. We interacted with 35 to 40 people directly involved in the negotiations from their side. A number of useful suggestions came out of those engagements. We’re optimistic that through this dialogue, the US will agree to a rational tariff rate for our exports.”

He said Bangladesh has maintained a strong presence in the US market for nearly a decade, reports UNB. 

“We have been doing business in the US since 2015, paying tariffs. Our enterprises rely on their own capabilities. As long as there’s no discriminatory treatment, our businesses will continue to perform successfully,” Sk Bashir said.

When asked what Bangladesh considers a ‘rational tariff rate’, he responded simply, ‘zero’.