Brazil to offer duty-free access in phases

“It is not an easy task to give full duty-free facility at a time. We will provide it to Bangladeshi products in phases,” Wanja Campos da Nobrega told journalists after a meeting with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed in Dhaka on Wednesday. The envoy was responding to Bangladesh’s call for the duty-free access of its products to Brazil’s market. Tofail Ahmed to journalists that Bangladesh made the call to Brazil for the facility as tariff rates are “too high” in the South American nation’s market. “We have urged Brazil for duty-free access of Bangladeshi products as tariff rates are too high there compared to other countries,” he said. “More trades would take place between the two countries if there was Free Trade Agreement (FTA),” Tofail added. Commerce minister said: “We have over $1bn bilateral trade. If import duties were lowered, the volume would be even greater. I have sought duty-free access of Bangladeshi goods in Brazil under the WTO rules.” He said Brazil’s neighbour Chile is already allowing Bangladeshi goods have duty-free access to its market. Tofail hopes Brazil would also offer the facility to Bangladesh like Chile.