Ex-US envoy calls 20% tariff a win for Bangladesh’s interim govt

The United States’ decision to impose a 20 percent tariff on Bangladesh is being hailed as a victory for the interim government’s negotiation efforts, according to Jon F. Danilowicz, former US Ambassador to Bangladesh.

In a post on social media platform X early Friday morning (Bangladesh time), Danilowicz praised the role of Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the chief negotiator who has been in talks with U.S. trade representatives in Washington over the past four months. Despite facing criticism and attacks from various quarters, Dr. Rahman was instrumental in negotiating tariff reductions and moving towards finalizing the agreement.

“Now that these talks have yielded positive results for both Bangladesh and the United States, I hope critics will acknowledge their errors,” Danilowicz wrote.

He added that the week has been promising for Bangladesh’s interests, citing progress on the July Agreement, the announcement of election dates, and positive developments regarding tariffs.