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Bangladesh

While Bangladesh may not appear to be a major player on the bilateral FTA front, it is currently under many pressures and involved in various discussions:

 The government was dealt harsh arrangements from the EU in the two parties’ trade and development cooperation agreement of 2001, through which Dhaka accepted WTO-plus demands from the EU, for instance to allow corporate monopoly rights over seeds (patenting);
 The government was in controversial talks with the US over a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, a preliminary to a possible FTA with Washington; but decided not to sign one in 2010 after several years of discussions. The US subsequently asked Bangladesh to sign a Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum deal, but this has not yet been signed;
  India has been pushing for a bilateral FTA with Bangladesh, but the World Bank has made clear that India would benefit more;
 Pakistan has been pushing for an FTA with Bangladesh as well;
 Bangladesh, for its part, is interested in developing an FTA with China.

Apart from all these, the government is either negotiating or considering negotiating FTAs with Iran, Turkey, Bhutan, Malaysia, Morocco and Sri Lanka.

On a regional level, Bangladesh is a member of SAARC, which has its own FTA, as well as BIMSTEC, which also aims to develop one.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Solidarity Center/CC BY-ND 2.0


CEPA negotiations likely to start in two months
Bangladesh and India are expected to start negotiations on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement within the next two months, officials said.
PM stresses signing PTA, FTA with Latin American countries
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina emphasised signing preferential trade agreement or free trade agreement with Mercosur countries soon, as Bangladesh will graduate into a developing country in 2026.
US wants Bangladesh to join Indo-Pacific Strategy
The US has been persuading Bangladesh to join in the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as the “Quad”, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
Bangladesh, Japan to conduct feasibility study for signing FTA
Bangladesh and Japan jointly announced the launching of a feasibility study on the future signing of a Free Trade Agreement.
Businesses for signing FTA with Canada
Businesses in Bangladesh want the government to start the negotiation with Canada to sign the free trade agreement in order to retain the duty-free market access in the North American nation.
Bangladesh, Singapore sign first step to FTA
Bangladesh and Singapore on Wednesday signed a memorandum of cooperation in its first step to negotiating a free trade agreement and also find potential for trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
Bangladesh, Singapore to start talks to ink FTA this year
Bangladesh and Singapore are expected to start negotiations soon to ink a free trade agreement within this year, aiming to boost investment and trade between the countries.
BD’s FTA with EU unlikely
The European Union envoy in Bangladesh ruled out the possibility of signing a free-trade agreement between the bloc and Bangladesh.
Steps for FTA with Japan underway
Bangladesh is working on getting either a free trade agreement (FTA) or economic partnership agreement (EPA) signed with Japan, the most promising export market in Asia, with the commerce ministry having already prepared a relevant memorandum of cooperation (MoC).
Dhaka wants revised list of products from Jakarta before signing PTA
Dhaka has sought a revised list of goods on which Jakarta can offer tariff concessions for Bangladeshi products before signing the proposed preferential trade agreement (PTA.)