BNP on Wednesday urged the United States to maintain reciprocal tariffs on Bangladesh at a reasonable level to ensure smooth trade and economic relations between the two countries.
“The economic aspects and the tariff issue came up during the discussions. We discussed Bangladesh’s perspective on the tariff matter,” said BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury while speaking to reporters after a meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nicole Chulick.
He said they told the US leader that the tariff issue must be resolved through discussions with all stakeholders. “We stated that our exports to the USA will be affected if the tariff is not kept at a tolerable level.”
The BNP leader said they also voiced concern that the economic ties between the US and Bangladesh will be strained a bit. “On behalf of BNP, We have said what we’re going to do in this regard. We’re working on it further.”
The visiting US official held a meeting with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the Gulshan residence of the US Deputy Head of Mission in Dhaka. Amir Khosru and BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obaed were also present.
Khosru said they also discussed other issues of bilateral interest between the two nations during the meeting.
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He mentioned that they had an extensive discussion regarding Bangladesh’s upcoming national election, as the US side was interested in knowing when the election would be held and what the BNP’s position was on the matter.
The BNP leader said they informed the meeting that their party wants the national election to be held by December this year. “We also said the election could be held even before December… we can outline the reforms on which a consensus will be reached within a month.”
He said it is only a matter of time before all parties sign the July charter if a consensus is achieved.
Khosru said the interim government's main responsibility is to complete all necessary steps to return to the democratic process. “There is no scope to delay the election for the sake of reforms.”
He said they told the US official that decision-making in various areas, both domestically and internationally, is facing difficulties due to the absence of a restored democratic order.
“It is easier for an elected government, backed by public support, to take many important decisions. Those planning to invest from within the country or abroad are all waiting to see when an elected government will be formed and what its policies will be,” Khosru said.
He also said the meeting included a detailed discussion on what the BNP’s policies would be, including their economic strategy.
Khosru said they told the US Deputy Assistant Secretary that all the major reforms Bangladesh has undergone—economic and political—were introduced during BNP’s tenure.
He mentioned that multi-party democracy and a free market economy were also established under the BNP’s rule. “The country’s economic prosperity has resulted from BNP’s economic reforms. In the coming days, we will pursue major economic reforms. They [the US] are convinced by our commitments.”