Govt’s NDA signing with US a first in Bangladesh’s history: Debapriya on tariff talks

The non-disclosure agreement (NDA) signed during tariff negotiations with the United States is the first of its kind in Bangladesh’s history, said Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), on Sunday.

“No partner country has ever provided an NDA document before in Bangladesh’s history,” he said at a roundtable discussion titled ‘United States Reciprocal Tariff: Which Way Should Bangladesh Go?’ held at a hotel in Dhaka.

Debapriya noted that instead of a formal NDA, a non-paper—an unofficial document without a binding signature—could have been issued. “A non-paper creates a sense of responsibility, but what we have now is a binding obligation,” he added.

He also pointed out that under the NDA, even if Bangladesh hires a lobbyist, the information cannot be shared with them.

Debapriya expressed doubts about the long-term effectiveness of the Trump administration’s tariff policy but said the new tariff regime serves as a wake-up call for Bangladesh.

“This should prompt Bangladesh to rethink its economic direction, focusing on diversification, productivity growth, and institutional capacity,” he said.

Taking a critical view of the interim government’s handling of the issue, Debapriya said, “We are moving forward with an innocent government in muddy waters,” adding, “I have never seen such an innocent government before.”

He also warned that weak and politically unlegitimized governments rarely succeed in international negotiations.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin said last week that the interim government is preparing for a third round of talks with the US, aiming for an agreement before the 1 August deadline.

On concerns over the NDA, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said an NDA can be signed with a country but declined to elaborate on the specifics of the US talks, which are ongoing under the Commerce Ministry.

“A non-disclosure agreement can certainly be done with a country… I have given you a very technical answer,” he told reporters on 16 July.