Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed in the budget speech on Monday proposed complete withdrawal import duties on 110 products and lessening of import duties on 65 products ahead of trade talks with the US.
“As part of preparations for trade dialogue with the United States, it has been proposed to completely withdraw import duties on 110 products and reduce import duties on 65 products,” said the Finance Adviser in his pre-recorded televised budget speech.
Earlier, on April 30, Salehuddin said Bangladesh would engage in negotiations with the United States over retaliatory tariffs, emphasising that efforts would be made to avoid any actions that could escalate tensions.
“There are 90 days to resolve the issue through discussions. If necessary, we will seek an extension,” he stated while addressing the 45th meeting of the budget consultative committee, organised by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at a city hotel.
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According to NBR sources, around 2,500 products are imported annually from the United States.
In 2024, Bangladesh imported products worth $2.62 billion from the United States, covering 2,515 items under the HS Code, according to NBR data.