Bangladesh to continue tariff talks with US

Bangladesh and the United States agreed on some more issues on the third and final day of the second round of trade talks held in Washington DC on Friday.

However, some issues still remain unresolved. Both sides have decided to continue inter-ministerial discussions. 

Then, representatives of the two countries will sit in discussion again. The talks can be held virtually and in presence. It is expected that the time and date of the talks will be decided very soon, according to a statement from the Chief Adviser (CA) office.

Bangladesh's Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin, the commerce secretary, and the additional secretary of commerce will head back home on Saturday. They are prepared to visit the US capital for talks once more if necessary.

Following three days of talks, Bashir and National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman say they are "optimistic" that a positive resolution can be 
reached in time.

Bashir led the delegation to Washington while Khalilur and Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, the chief advisor's special assistant on ICT and telecommunications, joined the talks virtually from Dhaka.

On Apr 2, US President Donald Trump announced sharp tariffs on more than 100 countries, citing a desire to strengthen domestic industries. An additional 37 percent hike in the tariff rate was announced on Bangladeshi goods.

Trump's tariffs, which affected allies and adversaries alike, kicked off a global trade war. As the trade restrictions shook the world economy, the US president decided to pause their implementation until Jul 9.