Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir held discussions with business leaders on the reciprocal tariff agreement with the United States, as some business representatives proposed scrapping the deal.
The meeting, held on Wednesday, was attended by State Minister for Commerce Md Shariful Alam and Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman.
Following the meeting, the commerce minister told reporters that the reciprocal tariff issue with the United States remains an evolving matter and the government will take a decision after carefully evaluating the changing situation.
“The signing of the agreement was a sensitive issue. The country with whom we signed the agreement is also very sensitive to us. We should not make any unwarranted comment in this evolving situation,” he said.
When asked about the discussions with business leaders, he said, “We invited the business leaders to discuss about the deal and other issues. We discussed the future course of action with the business leaders.”
He noted that differing opinions among stakeholders are natural, with one group supporting the agreement while another opposing it. The government will review all aspects before making a final decision, he added.
Bangladesh and the United States signed the reciprocal tariff deal on 9 February, setting the tariff rate at 19 percent. However, the US Supreme Court recently struck down tariffs previously imposed by US President Donald Trump.
The minister said issues related to the United States are still evolving, adding that the US Supreme Court has declared that the previous tariff structure would not be maintained. The US government later announced a flat tariff rate of 10 percent, which was subsequently revised to 15 percent for all countries.
He also said Bangladesh has yet to receive any written communication from the US administration, noting that tariffs imposed by the US government must be endorsed by Congress.
Govt reviews US reciprocal tariff deal amid divergent business views
