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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


Bangladesh hopeful of securing mutually-beneficial tariff pact with US
Bangladesh is actively negotiating with the US to secure a mutually beneficial tariff agreement amid planned US tariffs on Bangladeshi goods. Bangladesh has offered zero-duty access for many US goods and commitments to increase imports of items like LNG, cotton, aircraft, and agricultural products to balance the trade gap.
Bangladesh on FTA hunt as its graduation nears
Bangladesh now gears up drives for striking free-trade deals, with negotiations underway with a couple of countries, as the country prepares for post-graduation trade sans tariff concessions.
US-Bangladesh FTA talks begin, RMG may see major boost
The US has agreed in principle to pursue a FTA with Bangladesh, which could provide duty-free access for Bangladeshi exports, especially in the readymade garments (RMG) sector, boosting trade with the US market.
Thailand, Bangladesh to launch formal FTA talks by year-end
Bangladesh is currently Thailand’s second-largest trading partner in South Asia. In 2024, the bilateral trade value between the two countries reached USD 1.13 billion, with Thailand exporting USD 1.04 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh eyes CEPA with UAE
Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to hold the first round of negotiation on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) soon.
Working group formed for BD-Japan talks
Bangladesh has formed a high-powered working group to prepare for negotiations with Japan on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This move follows a joint study and aims to secure duty-free market access to Japan after Bangladesh graduates from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026.
Bangladesh-Singapore bilateral talks focus on trade and investment
During the meeting, Siddiqi expressed gratitude for Singapore’s continued support for Bangladesh and its collaboration with the interim government, particularly on the free trade agreement negotiations that commenced last month.
Dhaka, KL want stronger ties; next round of discussions on FTA soon
Bangladesh and Malaysia have agreed to expand bilateral relations and explore new areas of cooperation. This decision was made during a visit by the Malaysian Prime Minister to Bangladesh.
Dhaka, Seoul for concluding Economic Partnership Agreement
Bangladesh and South Korea have expressed strong interest in advancing negotiations to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement.
Nepal-Bangladesh bilateral trade headed for uncertainty
Analysts have warned that the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh may disrupt Nepal’s trade, including the signing of the first agreement to export electricity to the energy-hungry nation.