Khalilur Rahman, the national security adviser of Bangladesh, has said that Bangladesh has successfully avoided a potential 35% retaliatory tariff, calling it good news for the country’s garment sector and the millions who depend on it.
“Today, we successfully avoided a potential 35% retaliatory tariff. This is encouraging news for our garment sector and the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on it,” Khalilur said in response to the United States’ decision to impose a 20% tariff, reduced by 15% from the previously proposed 35%, following the third round of bilateral negotiations.
The development was confirmed in a press release issued from Washington, DC and shared on the verified Facebook page of Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser.
On Thursday (local time), US President Donald Trump announced the new tariff rate through an executive order.
The US administration had earlier informed Bangladesh via formal communication that a 35% retaliatory tariff was under consideration.
The revised rate of 20% reflects a 15% reduction from that proposed figure.
The Bangladeshi delegation was led by Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, with National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman also participating in the negotiations held in Washington, DC.
Commenting on the outcome, Khalilur further said: "We engaged in the discussions with caution, ensuring that our commitments align with national interests and our implementation capacity.
“Safeguarding our garment industry remained our highest priority. However, we also placed significant emphasis on our pledge to procure US agricultural products. This will contribute to our food security goals while fostering goodwill with key agricultural states in the United States.”
“We have also preserved our global competitive edge and created new opportunities for access to the world’s largest consumer market,” he added.
