Washington, Jan 11 (IANS) Bangladesh’s interim government claimed a potential breakthrough in trade discussions with the United States, saying senior US officials had agreed to explore steps that could ease tariffs on Bangladeshi exports and expand market access for its key textile and apparel sector.
The claim was made in a post on X by the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, which described discussions in Washington involving National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer. There has been no official readout or confirmation of the meeting or its substance from the Trump administration.
According to the post, Ambassador Greer agreed to raise the possibility of reducing Bangladesh’s current 20 per cent reciprocal tariff rate with US President Donald Trump. The post said the aim would be to bring Bangladesh’s tariff treatment “more in line with regional competitors.”
The post said the discussions took place in response to a request from Dr. Rahman, who is currently visiting Washington. It framed the engagement as an important step toward strengthening what it described as a “mutually beneficial trade relationship” between the two countries.
The Chief Adviser’s post also outlined what it called a more far-reaching proposal focused on Bangladesh’s export priorities. It said both sides discussed a preferential arrangement that would grant Bangladesh tariff-free access to the US market for textile and apparel exports, linked directly to Bangladesh’s imports of US-produced cotton and man-made fiber textile inputs.
Under the proposal, tariff-free access would be linked to trade volumes, the post said. Bangladesh’s exports would be matched to its imports of US cotton and man-made fiber textiles, measured on a square-meter basis.
The post said the arrangement would support Bangladeshi manufacturers and workers. It said the plan would also strengthen supply-chain ties with US producers by encouraging purchases of American textile inputs.
The Chief Adviser’s post said the talks showed “growing momentum and goodwill.” It described the proposal as a “win-win approach” and a “promising new chapter for Bangladesh’s global trade prospects.”
There has been no public confirmation from the Office of the US Trade Representative, the White House, or other US agencies. US officials have not issued any statement on the discussions described in the post.
Bangladesh’s claim comes as it seeks to protect its export-led economy. The garment sector remains its main source of foreign earnings and employs millions of workers.
The United States is one of Bangladesh’s largest export markets, especially for apparel. Any change in US tariff policy would have a major impact, but for now, the proposal remains unconfirmed by Washington.
–IANS
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