Bangladesh to Write to US Over Tariff in 48 Hours

Bangladesh will send two official letters to the United States within the next 48 hours, outlining the interim government’s stance on the 37 percent reciprocal tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Bangladeshi exports.

Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, disclosed the decision at a press briefing on Sunday following a high-level review meeting at the secretariat.

One letter will be addressed to US President Donald Trump from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, while the second will go to the US Trade Representative (USTR) from the finance adviser.

The meeting, chaired by the finance adviser, ran from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm and was attended by four other advisers, business leaders, the chief adviser’s high representative on the Rohingya crisis and priority issues, ten secretaries, the central bank governor, the executive chairman of BIDA, and other senior officials.

When asked about the contents of the letters, Shafiqul Alam said discussions are ongoing, with all participants contributing their views. "The letters will outline Bangladesh’s action plans, aiming to ensure mutual benefits and strengthen business ties with the US," he added. "The US remains the largest market globally, and there is potential to expand our trade further."

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed highlighted four priorities in Bangladesh’s action plan:

Expanding bilateral trade with the US, enhancing the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s readymade garments sector, increasing imports of US services, not just goods and removing both official and unofficial non-tariff barriers.

Khalilur Rahman, the chief adviser’s high representative, reported that he had spoken with the Bangladeshi ambassador in Washington, who recently met with USTR officials. "The signals from Washington align with our current approach," he said, expressing optimism that Bangladesh’s response strategy would be finalised within a day or two.

Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud noted that other major economies, including China, are also grappling with US tariffs. He emphasised Bangladesh’s commitment to protecting its key exports, particularly the garments sector, amid global trade uncertainties.

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