The United States announces a trade agreement with Bangladesh

The White House announced on the 9th that it signed a trade agreement with Bangladesh on the same day, providing Bangladesh with preferential market access for American industrial and agricultural products. The so-called “reciprocal tariffs” imposed by the U.S. on Bangladeshi goods were reduced from 20% to 19%, and consideration is being given to exempt certain textile and apparel products from these “reciprocal tariffs.” Businesspeople and analysts in Bangladesh pointed out that although the trade agreement formally resulted in tariff reductions, Bangladesh did not receive the same tariff treatment as its main competitors. This means the agreement has limited impact on improving Bangladesh’s export competitiveness. Concerns have been raised that the “symbolic tariff reduction” is unlikely to fundamentally change the unfavorable position of Bangladesh’s key industries, such as garments, in the U.S. market. The Trump administration announced in early April 2025 that it would impose a 37% “reciprocal tariff” on Bangladeshi goods. This rate was reduced to 20% in August of last year. (CCTV News)