Top policymakers of the government held a meeting with the acting US ambassador to Bangladesh, Tracey Ann Jacobson, this morning (6 April) to discuss tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
The meeting, titled “Breakfast on Trade Barriers”, took place at the ambassador’s residence in Gulshan-2 at 9am.
Among those present were Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Industry Adviser Md Adilur Rahman, High Representative of the Chief Adviser Khalilur Rahman, and the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi.
According to an official from the Ministry of Commerce, the advisers discussed two main issues during the meeting: increasing imports from the US to reduce the trade deficit and amending the Public Procurement Rules (PPR) to give US companies preferential access to government contracts in Bangladesh.
Additionally, discussions were held on reducing duties on certain US products, enforcing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), and improving the country’s overall business and investment climate.
Kamal Hossain, the Ministry of Commerce’s public relations officer (PRO), said the commerce adviser met with the US ambassador in the morning.
A full briefing on the meeting will be given later today, with the timing to be announced.
The commerce adviser also held a virtual meeting on Trump’s tariffs this morning. Commerce Secretary Md Mahbubur Rahman chaired the meeting.
Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed will also hold a meeting on Trump’s tarrifs. Commerc Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Bangladesh Bank and National Board of Revenue (NBR)’s top officials will be presented at the meeting.
A post-meeting press briefing regarding the United States’ (US) new tariff policy will take place at 4:30pm today at the ministry, according to the ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Gazi Touhidul Islam.
US President Donald Trump last Wednesday (2 April) displayed a poster during an event in the White House that listed reciprocal tariffs, including 37% on Bangladesh, 26% on India, 34% on China and 20% on the European Union, as a response to duties put on US goods.
