Desk Report,
Negotiations with the US: Government reaches out to businessmen at last minute
The interim government has not involved the private sector, economists and experts since the beginning of the negotiations to reduce the US counter-tariff. As a result, the country’s exporters are not very optimistic about the tariff reduction. They say that if the tariff is not reduced in the end, the exporters will be the victims.
Negotiations with the US: Government reaches out to businessmen at last minute
Even many buyers in the US have told the exporters of this country that Bangladesh is far behind in the negotiations. Due to this, there has been disappointment among the exporters with the government’s initiative.
Concerned businessmen and exporters say that after two and a half months of negotiations, it is seen that competing countries are far ahead of Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh now has 10 days to negotiate to reduce the counter-tariff. Since the government’s two rounds of talks failed to yield any results, the government has now approached exporters, traders and the private sector. It is learnt that the Ministry of Commerce is currently negotiating with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on behalf of the Bangladesh government regarding the counter-tariff. After two rounds of meetings with the USTR, the government has come to understand that the agency does not have the authority to reduce tariffs. The Trump administration can reduce tariffs. Therefore, the top brass of the government informally requested the private sector to do whatever is possible, including appointing lobbyists, at the end of last week to convince the Trump administration. Although business leaders have been requesting the private sector to be involved in this process since last April. Even last April, the business community suggested the government to appoint lobbyists. But the government did not take those suggestions into account. On the contrary, several top government officials assured the business community that they would be able to resolve the problem. The business community has nothing to worry about.
Not only that, but the government has not informed anyone about what was discussed in the negotiations or what was agreed or disagreed on, citing the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) signed with the United States on June 12. Business leaders have complained that they were kept in the dark for a long time about the negotiations with the United States.
