Bangladesh plans to ask the US for duty-free access for its key exports during meetings in Washington from 21-25 April 2025, held alongside the World Bank and IMF Spring gatherings.
Although the US offers zero tariffs on many products, most Bangladeshi exports still face high duties, averaging at 15.2%.
Garment items, which make up the majority of Bangladesh’s exports to the US, are hit the hardest. In comparison, US products face much lower tariffs when entering Bangladesh—about 1.6% on average.
Bangladesh also seeks duty-free access for garments made from US cotton, which currently faces a 16% tax, despite cotton imports being generally duty-free.
These talks follow the US’s pause of a proposed 37% tariff on Bangladeshi goods. A 10% baseline tariff still remains. Bangladesh says it’s ready to cut tariffs on certain US goods in return for fairer access to the American market.
