ISDS Case Map
Bangladesh
Bangladesh will review its reciprocal trade deal with the United States after the Supreme Court of the US struck down many of the Trump administration’s sweeping and often arbitrary duties, said a senior Commerce Ministry official.
Bangladesh signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, marking the country’s first-ever EPA with any nation.
This agreement is against the national interest and violates Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. An agreement signed by a temporary interim government while keeping the people of the country in the dark cannot be considered legitimate.
The recently concluded Bangladesh-United States trade agreement underscores a familiar reality of contemporary trade diplomacy: when negotiating with Washington, leverage matters more than aspirations.
Bangladesh and the United States signed a trade deal to strengthen the bilateral economic relationship, slashing reciprocal tariffs on India's neighbour to 19 per cent after nine months of negotiations.
The "Cotton-for-Garments" agreement between Us and Bangladesh offers tariff-free access for apparel proportional to Bangladesh’s import of US raw cotton, aiming to ease increased competition and higher tariffs from the US and regional competitors.
The EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has raised concerns in neighboring countries Bangladesh and Pakistan, as it grants Indian goods duty-free access to 93% of the European market. This threatens the competitive advantage these nations have long held in European textile exports, which are vital to their economies.
South Korea’s push for a CEPA with Bangladesh warrants caution. While touted as a strategic gateway to South Asia, Bangladesh faces serious challenges — including political instability, weak infrastructure, and concerns over labour standards and governance — that could undermine the human rights and economic benefit for the people.
Bangladesh aims to expand trade and investment cooperation with Malaysia, with finalising the long-discussed Free Trade Agreement as its top priority this year.
