B Mirror Report: Commerce, Industry, and Textiles & Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said that eliminating selected non-tariff barriers could significantly boost US investment in Bangladesh, enhancing the country’s appeal as a foreign investment destination.
He made the remarks while briefing reporters after a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur in his office at Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral trade ties, expanding investment into new sectors, improving digital infrastructure, and deepening overall trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
The minister noted that certain procedural and policy-related bottlenecks continued to affect the investment climate.
“If we can reduce unnecessary complexities and remove non-tariff barriers, US investment in Bangladesh will grow further,” he said.
He added that addressing these issues would also facilitate Bangladesh’s greater access to US development assistance and financing programmes.
Responding to a question about the recent Bangladesh-US trade agreement, the minister clarified that the issue was not discussed separately during the meeting.
The agreement had already been signed at the state level and was currently in force, leaving no scope for fresh decisions at this stage, he said.
Asked whether the agreement ran counter to Bangladesh’s interests, he said international agreements typically involved mutual concessions.
“Some provisions favour one side, while others benefit the other. The goal is to always reach a win-win outcome through negotiations,” he said.
Although a congratulatory message from the US president referenced trade and military cooperation, no military matters were discussed at the meeting.
“Military issues do not fall under the Ministry of Commerce,” the minister said.
Regarding the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling on tariffs, he said the government was closely monitoring developments as the situation remained evolving.
On the possibility of amendments, he said no agreement was final and there was always scope for review and renegotiation if circumstances required.
