Bangladesh scared of India-US trade deal. (file photo)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. Bangladesh is nervous after the India-US trade deal. In the latest development, America and Bangladesh are going to sign a trade agreement on February 9. Due to the secrecy surrounding the terms of this deal, it is being criticized a lot.
The big thing is that general elections are going to be held in Bangladesh on 12th February and before that this secret deal is being discussed. After the India-US trade agreement, Bangladesh has hurried to finalize the deal. Trump has reduced the tariff on Indian goods to 18 percent.
This fear is haunting Bangladesh
Bangladesh fears that it will lose market share to India if it cannot get equally competitive or better terms. Its economy heavily depends on readymade garment (RMG) exports to America. This is about 90 percent of its American exports.
The deal comes after Washington imposed a hefty 37 percent tariff on Dhaka in April 2025. The tariff was negotiated down to 35 percent in July and then finally to 20 percent in August. The upcoming trade deal is expected to further reduce tariffs to 15 percent.
Additionally, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus signed a formal non-disclosure agreement with the US in mid-2025, promising to keep all tariff and trade negotiations confidential. No draft of this agreement has been shared with the public, nor with Parliament, nor with key industry stakeholders.
US terms in the deal
There are many 'conditions' in this deal. First, to reduce imports from China and increase military imports from America instead of China. Second, American imports should be able to come to Bangladesh without any restrictions and the South Asian country will have to accept American standards and certifications without raising any questions.
There should be no inspection regarding the import of American vehicles and parts, because Washington wants its vehicles to get easy entry into the Bangladesh market.
Devpriya Bhattacharya, a prominent fellow at the private research organization Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), told Prothom Alo that the trade deal is not transparent because there has been no opportunity to consider its pros and cons.
Since an unelected interim government is signing the deal three days before the elections, it means the responsibility of implementing the agreement will fall on the party that will form the new elected government.
Also read: Pakistanis irritated by the relaxation of US tariffs on India, cursed Shahbaz-Munir
Chyawanprash is a part of every Indian's life, it reduces diseases and increases energy.