US hinted at tariff relief for Bangladeshi goods, says Lutfey Siddiqi

Bangladeshi goods may soon face lower tariffs in the United States, Chief Advisor’s International Affairs Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi has said after recent bilateral discussions.

On Tuesday, he said the tariffs are “expected to remain around 20 per cent”.

 “We hope tariffs will not increase… Compared with the current rate, we have been given very strong assurances that it will be better.”

Speaking at a press conference, Lutfey highlighted Bangladesh’s participation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, and the outcomes of multiple bilateral meetings held on the sidelines.

He added, “Following meetings with a senior US Cabinet-level official and further discussions at several levels, prospects of additional benefits in some sectors were also raised.”

The United States has imposed a 35 per cent total tariff on Bangladeshi products -- 20 per cent supplementary duty added to an existing 15 per cent.

While the tariff-reduction signal is promising, no formal decision or announcement schedule has been set, Lutfey said.

 “We hope the issue will become clear by the end of this week or early next week, at which point detailed information will be shared.”