For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The government plans to offer a “package proposal” to the United States in a bid to secure an exemption from the additional tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on exports.
On Tuesday, Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed disclosed the development after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase at the Secretariat, according to bdnews24.com.
“Our trade advisor has gone with a package. There’s more in it -- what they can buy from us,” he said.
A four-strong government delegation, comprising Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin, National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and Additional Secretary Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, flew to Washington on an Emirates flight Monday evening to attend negotiations with Trump administration officials over Tuesday and Wednesday.
To counter the 35 per cent Trump-era tariffs, Bangladesh has already waived duties on 626 American products. The interim administration has also decided to import wheat and soybean oil through TCB to help reduce its trade deficit with the US. Plans are also underway to boost cotton imports from US private suppliers.
Most notably, the interim government has announced it will purchase 25 aircraft from American manufacturer Boeing in an effort to present goodwill during this high-stakes diplomatic effort.
Asked whether more such measures are in the pipeline, Salehuddin said: “Yes, there’s more, but I won’t speak about it now. I’ll share details once the team returns.”
In Tuesday’s meeting, the committee also approved the leasing of around 22.25 hectares of land at the abandoned Jalil Textile Mill in Chattogram sought by the military, but under strict conditions.
“We’ve said state land will no longer follow symbolic pricing,” Salehuddin said. “If they want it, they must pay. Symbolic pricing leads to misuse -- often they claim 100 acres [40.46 hectares] when they need only 10.”
Separately, the committee approved the purchase of fertiliser and one LNG cargo shipment from the spot market.