The Trump administration may reduce the reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi goods further from the current 20 percent if the trade gap between the two countries narrows, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said yesterday.

Govt should have been better prepared and more proactive

Bangladesh will launch the third round of negotiations with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) next week, aiming to secure a more “rational” tariff structure before the August 1 deadline, said Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin yesterday.

The 35% tariff imposed by the US is not a final decision, as discussions are still ongoing

Suppliers to Walmart WMT.N have delayed or put on hold some orders from garment manufacturers in Bangladesh, according to three factory owners and correspondence from a supplier seen by Reuters, as US President Donald Trump’s threat of a 35 percent tariff on the textile hub disrupts business.

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin is leading the Bangladesh delegation

Bangladesh is facing pressure from Washington to decouple its manufacturing industries from Chinese suppliers, according to officials familiar with trade negotiations

The talks will continue until July 11

The tariff places Bangladesh at an immediate disadvantage against regional competitors in the garment trade.

Dhaka must intensify negotiations while working on long-term resilience

New US tariffs challenge RMG sector, but global competitive edge holds

The letter stated that Bangladeshi goods transshipped to evade the new tariff would be subject to higher duties.

The United States' levying a reciprocal tariff of 35 percent on Bangladeshi exports is a harsh economic blow

His comments came hours after the US announced a plan to impose a 35 percent trade tariff on Bangladesh

Failure to secure a more favourable bilateral agreement by Aug 1 deadline would be a significant blow to the country's export-oriented economy

Bangladesh has been engaged in negotiations to sign a tariff agreement with the US

If Bangladesh exports fabric to a country assembling garments for the US, American tariffs on those final products can sharply reduce demand for Bangladeshi inputs.