Written by The Banking Post
Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin has stated that the full contents of the recently negotiated trade agreement with the United States will be made public once it is signed, subject to the consent of the US government.
“In accordance with the Right to Information Act and with US approval, we will definitely disclose the agreement,” he said. A joint statement will be issued following the signing.
The Adviser made these remarks during a conversation with Golam Mortoza, Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, who shared the discussion on his verified Facebook page.
Addressing speculation surrounding the deal, Bashir Uddin acknowledged the leak of some details but said, “There’s nothing in the agreement that goes against Bangladesh’s national interests.” He added that the government has steered clear of any provisions that could harm the country indirectly, and most components of the agreement pertain to the private sector.
He emphasized that Bangladesh must enhance its institutional capacity to implement the deal successfully. “There is no room for complacency. Success or failure will depend entirely on our competitiveness.”
Regarding speculation about the purchase of 25 Boeing aircraft, the Adviser clarified, “This issue never came up in the trade negotiations. Boeing only produced 12 aircraft last year. Even if agreed, delivery may not happen before 2037.”
Instead, he said, the US was more focused on agricultural trade. The US, a major agricultural exporter, is looking to increase its share of Bangladesh’s $15–20 billion annual food imports.
Bashir Uddin said Bangladesh is working to narrow the $6 billion trade deficit with the US by increasing imports of cotton, soybeans, corn, and wheat—commodities the country already imports in large volumes.
“Reducing the trade deficit by $2 billion through imports of key agricultural goods is achievable,” he said. “Aircraft are not a daily purchase, but soybeans are.”
The Adviser noted that Bangladesh’s national airline, Biman, has the potential to carry 10 million additional passengers, making the acquisition of 25 aircraft a reasonable target for the future. However, he stressed that this is a long-term goal, not a short-term priority.
Dismissing rumors of any secret deal behind the tariff reduction—from 35% to 20%—Bashir Uddin reaffirmed that national interests guided every decision in the negotiations.
“We acted in our national interest—just as the US acts in theirs,” he said, adding that a visiting Bangladeshi business delegation in the US is likewise committed to protecting the country’s economic priorities.
