In a post on X, Mr. Yunus said the U.S. has agreed to introduce a mechanism that allows certain Bangladeshi textile and clothing items made with U.S. materials to receive zero reciprocal tariffs. He added that the agreement was finalized after nine months of negotiations that began in April last year.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman noted that Bangladesh’s main export sector — ready-made garments (RMG) — will benefit the most, as products made with U.S. cotton and synthetic fibres will be exempt from reciprocal duties.
The agreement was signed in Washington by Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Commerce Ministry officials said the deal also includes provisions for Bangladesh to increase imports of U.S. wheat, soybeans, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), avoid imposing tariffs on e-commerce, comply with U.S. intellectual property rights standards, and support American proposals to reform the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The United States has reduced tariffs on Bangladeshi goods to 19% under a new trade agreement, offering special advantages for textile and apparel products made with U.S.-sourced raw materials. Bangladesh’s interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, announced on Monday (February 9, 2026) that garments produced using American cotton and man-made fibres will qualify for duty-free entry into the U.S. market.
