US trade delegation due in Dhaka Sunday for talks on further tariff cut

Highlights:
· Talks to focus on cutting tariff on Bangladeshi exports from 20% to 15%
· Delegation will be led by Brendan Lynch, assistant USTR for South and Central Asia
· Draft trade agreement prepared; to be finalised if negotiations progress
· US lowered tariff from 35% to 20% in August, but no deal signed yet
· USTR team to meet the chief adviser commerce ministry officials and top diplomats
A US trade delegation will arrive in Dhaka on a two-day visit starting Sunday (14 September) to discuss a further reduction on the 20% tariff currently imposed on Bangladeshi exports to the US market.
Negotiations will focus on securing a further cut in the tariff during the delegation's visit, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told The Business Standard this afternoon (11 September).
US reduces reciprocal tariff on Bangladesh to 20% from 35%
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) team will be lead by Brendan Lynch, the assistant USTR for South and Central Asia.
Earlier, Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman told reporters that both countries are negotiating to lower the reciprocal duty on Bangladeshi goods from 20% to 15%.
How Bangladesh finally succeeded in US tariff negotiation
On 7 August, the US reduced the reciprocal tariff rate on products imported from Bangladesh to 20% from the previously declared 35%, after a series of talks.
However, a formal agreement is yet to be signed.
20% US tariff may hit buyers' capacity, warn exporters
Dhaka is pushing to lower the duty to 15% and conclude an agreement with Washington. To this end, the commerce ministry sought additional negotiation time, which prompted the USTR delegation's visit, officials said.
During their visit, the USTR delegation will hold meetings with the commerce ministry officials, as well as with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
















