Bangladesh and the United States will discuss a range of issues this week in Dhaka impacting the bilateral trade relationship between the two countries, including market access, labor rights, trade policies, intellectual property issues and investment climate. Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and acting Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch will co-chair the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) Council on September 20. Read: Moscow is and will remain a time-tested friend of Dhaka despite Western campaign: Russian Embassy Both delegations will include officials from trade, labor, agriculture, and other relevant ministries.   This is going to be the 7th round of TICFA meetings between Bangladesh and the US. The United States and Bangladesh have formally engaged on trade issues since the U.S.-Bangladesh TICFA entered into force in 2013.   Read: France, Germany ‘regret Bangladeshi court's decision regarding Adilur Rahman and ASM Nasiruddin’: Joint Statement The last meeting was held in Washington on December 6, 2022. In that meeting, Bangladesh proposed zero tariff on finished apparel products — made with American cotton — being exported to the US. Bangladesh is likely to reiterate its request for preferential market access during the meeting, officials said. US Ambassador Peter Haas has recently said Bangladesh and the United States can “go fastest together” in building trade and investment relationship between the two countries.   “I truly believe it. This is not just talk,” he said, noting that the United States is willing to go as fast as Bangladesh is prepared to, towards deepening and expanding the bilateral partnership.   Read: EU calls on Bangladesh to foster enabling environment for civil society to work 'without fear of reprisals' Bangladesh has achieved steady growth over the past decade and is set to graduate into a developing country by 2026. With surging domestic demand, growing service and industry sectors and steady investment in digitization, the country will continue to attract foreign investments,” he said.

Bangladesh has proposed zero tariff on finished apparel products — made with American cotton — being exported to the US. Bangladesh made the proposal at the 6th meeting of the US-Bangladesh Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) held in Washington DC on December 6. Compared to other countries, Bangladesh now pays the highest tariff on its apparel products exported to the United States, which profusely reduces Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the US market. Also read: US for increasing collaboration among stakeholders in Bangladesh RMG sector Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, and Christopher Wilson, Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) for South and Central Asia, led the Bangladesh and US delegations respectively at the meeting. The head of US delegation Wilson agreed to continue further discussion on the proposal made by Bangladesh. The Bangladesh side also included Labour Secretary Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi, Agriculture Secretary Md. Sayedul Islam, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran and high officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Commerce and the ICT Division. Read More: BGMEA delegation meets US State Department official to discuss RMG issues At the outset of the meeting, Deputy USTR Sarah Bianchi stepped in and welcomed the Bangladesh delegation to the 6th TICFA meeting in Washington. Sarah said that Bangladesh's socioeconomic strides have made the TICFA meeting more relevant than any other time for both countries.

The United States has urged Bangladesh to increase collaboration with private and civil sector stakeholders in its readymade garment industry.