LDC GRADUATION / Bangladesh readies for UN panel hearing
26 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Citing three major economic challenges, the government has prepared its position paper ahead of a United Nations hearing on Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.
26 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Govt to cite three key challenges to defer LDC graduation
26 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Citing three major economic challenges, the government has prepared its position paper ahead of a United Nations hearing on Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.
26 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Soybean oil imports plunge
23 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Soybean oil imports fell sharply during January-April this year compared to the same period last year, according to commerce ministry data.
23 April 2026, 00:00 AM
No overcapacity, forced labour in apparel sector
23 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh’s garment industry does not have overproduction capacity that could harm the American manufacturing sector and is free from forced labour, as exporters comply with internationally recognised labour laws, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
23 April 2026, 00:00 AM
US trade bodies urge USTR not to impose new tariffs
21 April 2026, 00:00 AM
The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), along with several other organisations, has urged the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the US government’s chief trade body, not to impose any new tariffs on countries currently under investigation over production capacity.
21 April 2026, 00:00 AM
RMG exports brace for a gathering storm
17 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Unsold inventories push Western buyers towards 10% order cuts while energy shortages disrupt apparel production
17 April 2026, 00:00 AM
USTR hearing on Bangladesh set for Apr 29
12 April 2026, 00:00 AM
The hearing on the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) twin investigations into alleged overcapacity in various sectors and forced labour in Bangladesh is scheduled for April 29, as the country prepares for it.
12 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Third round of CEPA talks with S Korea begins today
11 April 2026, 23:12 PM
Bangladesh is hopeful of signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with South Korea within the year as the two sides are set to hold the third round of negotiations in Seoul today.
11 April 2026, 23:12 PM
Is WTO losing its way?
As major powers increasingly bypass multilateral rules, the WTO’s future hinges on whether political will can keep pace with geopolitical change
11 April 2026, 00:48 AM
LDC graduation: UN report flags serious gaps in readiness
Bangladesh’s readiness for graduation from least developed country status in November this year has been undermined by domestic and international crises, a UN assessment warns, with the US-Israel war on Iran adding a new threat.
6 April 2026, 02:31 AM
Bangladesh overtakes China in RMG export to US
Bangladesh overtook China in garment exports to the United States during the January-February period of 2026, as China lost its top position amid the impact of American reciprocal tariffs, according to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) released yesterday.
5 April 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh gains ground in US apparel market as China falls behind
Bangladesh overtook China in garment exports to the United States during the January-February period of 2026, as China lost its top position amid the impact of American reciprocal tariffs, according to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) released today.
4 April 2026, 21:46 PM
Export earnings fall for eighth straight month
Bangladesh’s merchandise export earnings fell for the eighth consecutive month in March, dropping 18 percent year-on-year (YoY) to $3.48 billion, largely owing to long Eid holidays and a turbulent global economy that continued to weigh on trade performance.
3 April 2026, 00:27 AM
WTO conference concludes without major agreements
The 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded early yesterday with no significant agreements, except promises to continue working towards consensus on disputed issues among member countries.
31 March 2026, 00:00 AM
WTO conference ends without final declaration
Members debated key issues such as e-commerce and WTO reform over the last four days
30 March 2026, 13:02 PM
66 WTO members adopt interim e-Com pact
Sixty-six World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries, representing 70 percent of global trade, have adopted a pathway to bring into force electronic commerce (e-Commerce) agreement through interim arrangements.
30 March 2026, 00:05 AM
WTO conference: Dhaka for keeping flexibility on patents, copyrights
Bangladesh today sought continuation of the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints (NVSCs) under the TRIPS Agreement until the next ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization, arguing that it will create flexibility in copy rights and patent rules for poorer countries.
29 March 2026, 22:14 PM
66 WTO members adopt interim e-commerce pact
Sixty-six World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries, representing 70 percent of global trade, have adopted a pathway to bring into force electronic commerce (e-Commerce) agreement through interim arrangements.
29 March 2026, 14:20 PM
Dhaka seeks EU help for LDC grad deferment
Bangladesh yesterday sought the European Union’s support for deferring its graduation from the group of least developed countries.
29 March 2026, 02:37 AM
Dhaka urges WTO reform without weakening core principles
Bangladesh has emphasised the need to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO), while cautioning that any such changes must not undermine the body’s fundamental principles.
29 March 2026, 00:22 AM
Bangladesh calls for WTO reform without undermining core principles
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir made the call at the beginning of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference on March 26 in Yaounde, Cameroon
28 March 2026, 14:20 PM
WTO conference kicks off with push to resist protectionism
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference began yesterday with a call to uphold the multilateral trading system, as rising trade protectionism poses challenges to the free flow of global trade.
26 March 2026, 23:25 PM
WTO flags trade risks from Middle East crisis
The prolonged high oil prices resulting from the Middle East conflict could lower the global trade forecast by 0.5 percentage points, from 1.9 percent to 1.4 percent, said the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Okonjo-Iweala.
26 March 2026, 19:58 PM
Trade deals, LDC deferment top agenda at WTO summit
Bangladesh will prioritise bilateral trade negotiations, deferment of its graduation from least developed country (LDC) status, among other issues, at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference, which opens tomorrow in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé.
24 March 2026, 23:42 PM
Doreen Garments sues US buyer over $678,000 unpaid dues
Apparel exporter Doreen Garments Ltd has been struggling to collect $678,412 from US-based Zinntex LLC for a shipment delivered two years ago, prompting the supplier to file a lawsuit in an American court.
19 March 2026, 00:00 AM
Govt to rally support to defer LDC graduation
Bangladesh will use the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th ministerial conference in Cameroon next week to garner support for deferring its graduation from the group of least developed countries (LDCs), said officials familiar with the matter.
16 March 2026, 00:00 AM
Trade probe: USTR seeks hearing date from Dhaka
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has sought a date from Bangladesh for a hearing as part of the US’s twin investigations into trade and forced labour.
15 March 2026, 02:50 AM
180 RMG factories at risk of failure to pay before Eid
Some 138,392 workers of 180 ready-made garment factories at risk of failure to pay wages and bonuses before the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays could create labour unrest in different ways, the home ministry has warned.
15 March 2026, 02:41 AM