Highlights:
- Bangladesh plans FTA with EU to secure post-LDC trade access
- Feasibility study confirms FTA would benefit Bangladesh’s export sector
- Current EU duty-free access ends in 2029 under EBA scheme
- GSP+ may exclude garments, risking 12% tariffs post-2029
- Experts split: pursue FTA early or retain GSP+ benefits first
- PCA with EU also planned, focusing on rights and governance cooperation
The interim government has launched an initiative to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union, Bangladesh’s largest export destination, in a bid to safeguard privileged access to its market after graduating from the least developed country (LDC) category in 2026.
The commerce ministry has completed a feasibility study showing that an FTA would benefit Bangladesh, paving the way for formal negotiations when an EU delegation visits Dhaka this November.
“We’ve completed a feasibility study which shows Bangladesh will benefit from such a deal. Preliminary discussions have already taken place, and the EU is interested,” Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told The Business Standard.
He said the ministry would soon write to the EU to decide on the next step — whether Bangladesh will receive the EU’s draft text or send its own. “The EU has signed FTAs with many countries, while we are also in talks with several partners,” he added.বিস্তারিত