Bangladesh committed to strengthening trade, development ties with US: Yunus

Bangladesh is committed to deepening its bilateral relations with the United States, with a focus on trade, investment, energy, and development cooperation, Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus said on Monday.

Dr. Yunus made the remarks during a meeting with Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative, held at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

He highlighted a recent decision to reduce supplementary duties on Bangladeshi exports to the U.S. from 35 percent to 20 percent, calling it “a significant milestone in the trade relationship between the two countries.”

During the meeting, both sides discussed strategies to address the existing trade imbalance. Dr. Yunus expressed Bangladesh’s interest in increasing imports of key US agricultural products, particularly cotton and soybeans.

The discussions also included enhancing energy cooperation, such as the import of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US, as well as potential purchases of civilian aircraft. Other key topics included cooperation on drug control initiatives and ongoing efforts to address the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.

Dr. Yunus affirmed Bangladesh’s readiness to expand imports from the United States, aiming to promote balanced trade and deeper economic cooperation between the two nations.