Bangladesh's interim head Muhammad Yunus has written to US President Donald Trump requesting a three-month pause on a 37% tariff on imports from Bangladesh, citing efforts to boost imports from the US, his press office said on Monday.
Bangladeshi exporters, especially in the garment sector, are bracing for the impact of the tariff. In the letter, Yunus -- a Nobel laureate who took charge of the interim government in August after prime minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown -- outlined steps Bangladesh has already taken to strengthen bilateral trade.
"We are the first country to take such a pro-active initiative," Yunus wrote, referring to the February visit of his representative, Khalilur Rahman, to Washington to begin trade discussions.
Since then, officials from both countries have been working to identify specific actions that can quickly boost American exports. The letter notes that Bangladesh was the first South Asian country to sign a multi-year agreement to import U.S. liquefied natural gas, and is working to expand trade in agriculture, energy and technology.
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