Bangladesh and the United States have begun the second round of negotiations on the proposed Agreement on Reciprocal Tariff in Washington, DC, starting today, 9 July. The discussions are scheduled to continue through 11 July.
The talks follow an invitation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), positioning Bangladesh among the first nations to re-engage in discussions under the new US tariff framework, initiated after President Donald Trump’s 7 July letter to the leaders of 14 countries affected by the proposed tariff changes.
Sheikh Bashiruddin, commerce adviser to the Government of Bangladesh, is leading the country’s delegation in person in Washington. Joining virtually from Dhaka is National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman.
Additional members of the delegation include the Commerce Secretary, an Additional Commerce Secretary, and other senior officials.
According to sources within the commerce ministry, Bangladesh seeks to build on the positive momentum established during the first round of talks held on 27 June, which both sides previously described as productive.
The ongoing dialogue aims to address tariff concerns and safeguard Bangladesh’s export interests, particularly in the apparel sector, which faces potential impacts under the proposed US tariff regime.
