US imposed tariffs may be reduced further: Commerce Adviser

Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Commerce Adviser of Bangladesh, has stated that the current trade deficit between the United States and Bangladesh is approximately six billion dollars (USD 6,000 million). If this trade deficit decreases, the US could reduce retaliatory tariffs on Bangladeshi products to less than 20 percent.

He made the remarks on Sunday (September 14) following a meeting at the Secretariat with a US delegation led by Brenden Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative. The meeting was attended by National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and other senior officials.

The delegation arrived in Dhaka for a three-day visit aimed at finalising a trade agreement between the two countries.

Sheikh Bashir Uddin said that discussions focused on the progress of US commitments to increase purchase of Bangladeshi goods in order to reduce the trade deficit. The commitments mainly concern agricultural and energy products, as well as aircraft purchases. He added that progress in these areas has been positive.

According to sources at the Ministry of Commerce, during its visit, the US trade delegation will also hold meetings with the Office of the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, Foreign Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, in addition to the Ministry of Commerce.