Written by The Banking Post
Bangladesh is still waiting for a confirmed hearing date from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), despite earlier expectations that the session would be held on April 28, officials said.
The United States has launched two separate investigations involving Bangladesh and 15 other countries over allegations related to “overproduction” and “forced labour.”
Commerce ministry officials said preparations are underway for the virtual hearing, which is now expected to take place in May.
“We are waiting for the final date, but preparations are ongoing,” a ministry official said. Several inter-ministerial meetings have already been held, he added.
Bangladesh is preparing a formal position paper for the hearing, arguing that the country does not face overproduction issues and that no forced or child labour exists in the sectors under review.
The investigations were initiated under Section 301 of US trade law, which allows Washington to examine whether foreign trade policies harm American industries.
For Bangladesh, scrutiny is expected to focus mainly on the garment and cement sectors.
The United States remains Bangladesh’s single largest export destination. In FY2024-25, Bangladesh shipped goods worth about $8.69 billion to the US, accounting for roughly 18% of total exports.
Officials said the probe comes as Washington seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reshore parts of global supply chains.
Bangladeshi exports to the US are already subject to tariffs, currently averaging around 15% after several revisions.
Other countries under investigation include China, Japan, India and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is expected to visit Bangladesh soon, according to officials.
Trade analysts believe the visit could include discussions on broader bilateral trade issues, especially after Bangladesh and the US signed an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade earlier this year.
During a recent meeting with the US ambassador, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said Bangladesh is also working on a new Import Policy Order to modernise trade regulations.
Officials hope continued engagement with Washington will help ease concerns and preserve Bangladesh’s access to its most important export market.
