U.S. trims tariffs on Bangladesh to 19%

Bangladesh connected Monday (February 9, 2026) secured a reduced 19% tariff nether a commercialized statement with the United States that would exempt immoderate textiles and garments manufactured with U.S. materials, interim authorities main Muhammad Yunus said.

In an X post, helium said Washington had “committed to establishing a mechanics for definite textile and apparel goods from Bangladesh utilizing US-produced fabric and man-made fibre to person zero reciprocal tariff successful (the) U.S. market”.

Mr. Yunus, known for his pro-U.S. stance, said the woody was reached aft 9 months of negotiations since April past year.

According to Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Bangladesh’s cardinal export-earning ready-made garments (RMG) made from fabric and synthetic fibres imported from the U.S. would bask zero reciprocal work nether the deal.

He said the statement was signed successful Washington by Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer.

Commerce Ministry officials said isolated from cotton, the woody includes provisions for importing U.S. wheat, soybean, and LNG; refraining from imposing tariffs connected e-commerce; complying with US-mandated intelligence spot rights standards; and supporting US proposals for reforming the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Bangladesh precocious agreed to acquisition 25 craft from U.S. aerospace elephantine Boeing, with an estimated outgo of Tk 30,000-35,000 crore (in Bangladeshi currency), arsenic portion of broader efforts to easiness the U.S. tariffs.

According to Bangladesh’s Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the U.S. remains Bangladesh’s largest export market.

The South Asian federation successful August past twelvemonth secured a simplification successful U.S. tariffs connected its exports to 20%, down from 37% initially projected by Washington.

Bangladeshi policymakers earlier said they expected the tariff could beryllium brought down to 15%.

Business analysts, however, said the woody offered much-needed alleviation to Bangladesh’s apparel exporters, arsenic the RMG assemblage accounts for much than 80% of its export net and employs immoderate 4 cardinal workers, mostly women, and contributes astir 10% to gross home merchandise (GDP).

The U.S. earlier this period announced lowering tariffs to 18% from 50% for India, seeking New Delhi to halt Russian lipid purchases and little commercialized barriers.

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The Commerce Secretary said the precocious concluded U.S.-India commercialized woody mightiness person influenced Washington’s determination to chopped the tariff “possibly owed to geopolitical considerations”.

Bangladesh’s closest competitor, Vietnam, received a 20% reciprocal tariff, portion Pakistan, Cambodia and Indonesia person besides been subjected to a 19% tariff.

The improvement comes arsenic Bangladesh heads for the February 12 wide predetermination to take caller enactment and bring an extremity to the 18-month Yunus-led interim regime, which took complaint aft the autumn of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League authorities pursuing a convulsive student-led thoroughfare run dubbed the July Uprising.