B Mirror Report: The trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States is not irreversible; there is scope for amendment, addition, or deletion, if necessary, Commerce Minister Khandker Abdul Muktadir has said.
He stated that the agreement contains elements that could help further strengthen bilateral trade relations in the future. The deal was concluded with the aim of expanding economic, trade, and investment ties between the two countries, and it should not be viewed as either “wholesale negative” or “wholesale positive.”
The commerce minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists on Wednesday (March 4) after a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur.
He noted that Bangladesh’s trade volume with the United States exceeds $8.5 billion, while imports from the US amount to nearly $2.75 billion. As a single country, the US is one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners. Therefore, beyond trade, important issues such as investment, digital infrastructure development, and future economic cooperation are also involved in the bilateral relationship. These matters were discussed in general terms during the meeting.
Responding to a question about discussions on the agreement signed on February 9 during the interim government’s tenure, he said there was no specific discussion on that matter. “It was signed on the 9th, and there was no separate discussion about it today,” he said.
When asked whether issues related to trade and military cooperation mentioned in a congratulatory letter from former President Trump to the prime minister were discussed, the minister said the trade agreement was not raised as a topic of discussion that day. “Military matters are not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Commerce,” he added.
In response to concerns that Bangladesh’s interests were not protected in the agreement and what steps the government would take, the minister said that although the agreement has been signed, certain formalization processes are required for it to come into effect. “In any agreement, there are two parties. Some clauses may strongly favor one side, while others may favor the other. Both parties try, through discussion, to reach a win-win situation,” he said.
He added that the agreement includes many provisions that could help strengthen trade relations in the future. “I do not view it as wholesale negative or wholesale positive at this stage. An agreement has been signed that is the present reality,” he said.
The minister further clarified that he had not referred specifically to the agreement earlier but to a ruling by a higher US court stating that tariffs imposed under emergency powers were not supported by the relevant legal provision. “The situation is evolving, and we are monitoring these developments,” he said.
Asked about the government’s decision regarding the agreement, he said it is a state-level agreement between the governments of Bangladesh and the United States. “If you find anything objectionable in the agreement, you can raise it with us,” he said. He added that no agreement is final or beyond revision. “Every agreement contains its own self-correcting provisions. If we find that any clause needs amendment, addition, or deletion, there is always scope for further negotiation. So, I request that there be no unnecessary concern over the matter.”
Regarding whether there had been discussions to ensure Bangladeshi businesspeople are not brought under the scope of visa bonds, he said the issue would be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We always request that our businesspeople and investors, as well as theirs, can travel between the two countries easily and comfortably without obstacles,” he said.
When asked whether the United States is willing to work with the new government, the minister replied that they certainly are. He mentioned that some obstacles to increasing US investment in Bangladesh were discussed during the meeting. “If these barriers are removed, it will be easier to attract American investment. Bangladesh is a fertile ground, but we have some non-tariff barriers. If these are addressed, Bangladesh will be better positioned for development,” he said.
Urging against spreading undue concern over the agreement, the commerce minister said, “If you have objections or questions about any specific clause, raise them with us. We will examine the matter. The main objective of this agreement is to safeguard Bangladesh’s long-term economic interests and strengthen bilateral relations.”
