Bangladesh-US Trade Deal Sparks Concerns Amid Secrecy

A trade agreement between Bangladesh and the United States, expected to be signed in Washington on 9 February, has triggered a wave of anxiety across Dhaka’s political and business circles. There is much secrecy surrounding the deal , which is being finalised under a non-disclosure agreement that prevents its contents from being made public and is being pushed through by an unelected interim administration just three days before the 12 February national election. Political watchers say the timing, secrecy and mandate of the Muhammad Yunus-led government raise questions about whose interests the pact ultimately serves and what long-term obligations it may impose on a future elected administration. The concerns have intensified because Bangladesh’s economy is heavily dependent on exports to the United States, particularly ready-made garments and textiles, at a time when the sector is already under pressure from tariff changes in Washington and heightened competition from India. As Dhaka rushes to sign the agreement, exporters say they still have no idea what the document contains or how it could reshape the country’s most critical industry. What Is The Bangladesh–US Trade Deal? The reciprocal tariff agreement is scheduled to be signed in Washington on 9 February, only three days before Bangladesh votes on 12 February. According to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo , the signing ceremony will begin a day earlier, on 8 February. Neither Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin nor Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will travel to the US for the event. According to the newspaper, Uddin has already signed the agreement in Dhaka, after which it will be formally signed in Washington by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. In their place, a five-member Bangladeshi delegation has been assigned to take the signed copy to Washington and attend the ceremony. The delegation departs Dhaka on 6 February and is scheduled to return on 10 February. What Do We Know About The Pact So Far? Very little is publicly known because the Yunus administration signed a non-disclosure agreement with Washington in 2025, committing both sides to confidentiality. It has been reported that the United States has sought several concessions from Dhaka. These include reducing imports from China, increasing military purchases from the United States, providing free access to Bangladeshi markets, acquiescing to US standards and certifications without protest, and allowing entry of US vehicles and parts without inspection. The wider tariff context adds to the stakes. The Trump administration imposed a 37 per cent tariff on Bangladesh in April 2025, later reducing it to 35 per cent and then to 20 per cent in August. The forthcoming deal is expected to lower the rate further to around 15 per cent. Why Is The Secrecy Clause A Major Red Flag? Exporters, business bodies and economists say the NDA has created unprecedented opacity for a trade deal of this scale. Prothom Alo has reported that neither lawmakers nor key export associations have seen the terms. Bangladeshi economist and intellectual Anu Muhammad questioned the “non-transparent, illogical, and irregular manner" in which the administration was proceeding. In a Facebook post, he alleged that foreign lobbyists had been placed inside the government as advisers and were “desperate to make these agreements". Business chambers have voiced similar concerns. Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Taskeen Ahmed said that with no clarity on the contents, it had become impossible to assess the deal’s likely impacts, and that such an agreement should have been left for a government elected by the people. “It is not clear what benefits Bangladesh will gain from the agreement with the US. At the same time, business leaders are concerned about what conditions the agreement will include and which sectors may face negative impacts. They are also raising various questions," Ahmed was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. “Had the tariff agreement been signed after the election, political parties could have discussed it. It is also worth considering whether the hands of the incoming elected government are being tied," distinguished fellow of Bangladeshi think-tank, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Debapriya Bhattacharya, was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. Why Bangladesh Feels Urgency After the India–US Trade Deal The momentum behind the Bangladesh-US pact accelerated after US President Donald Trump announced the India-US trade deal, which brought tariffs on Indian goods down to 18 per cent. For Bangladesh, which sends between $7 and $8.4 billion worth of apparel and textiles to the United States each year, this development poses a direct competitive challenge. Ready-made garments constitute up to 96 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports to the US and employ four to five million workers, most of them women. If India enjoys a more favourable tariff regime, Dhaka risks losing market share in its most important export destination. This competitive pressure partly explains why the interim government has pushed to finalise the agreement quickly, but exporters say the secrecy prevents them from assessing whether the trade-offs involved are beneficial. Why Are There Concerns? No draft of the agreement has been made public, and it has not been shared with Parliament or with any sector that would be directly affected by its terms, as per Prothom Alo . The arrangement is being concluded by an interim administration that does not have an electoral mandate and is meant only to function as a caretaker until a new government is elected. This has created unease about whether such a government should be taking decisions that could shape the country’s economic direction for years to come. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association senior vice-president Inamul Haque Khan told the newspaper he found the events disturbing. “Based on the target for purchases from the US, it can be expected that the reciprocal tariff rate will come down to 15 per cent (currently 20 per cent). I had heard that National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman had streamlined this. I was surprised to see the signing of the agreement come just three days before the election. I still believe this should have been done after the election, because it carries major implications," he said. The development is also unfolding at a time when reports suggest that American diplomats have been engaging with Jamaat-e-Islami , a group that could likely emerge as a key player after the election. Alongside this, allegations have circulated that the interim administration came to power with support from Islamist parties. At the same time, the son of toppled Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed has claimed that Bangladesh is heading into a “sham" election intended to install a weak government aligned with foreign interests. He has also alleged that the interim administration is backed by Islamist groups and is operating in a “completely non-transparent" manner.