Refayet Ullah Mirdha

The US has launched a fresh trade investigation into Bangladesh and more than a dozen other economies to examine whether their policies and production practices are contributing to global overcapacity that could harm American manufacturing.

The investigation was initiated today by the Office of the United States Trade Representative

The development came on the final day of a two-day visit to Dhaka by a commerce secretary-level delegation from Bhutan

The piling up of freight at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) has been increasing as some of the Middle East-based airliners suspended cargo flights due to the US-Israel war on Iran.

Garment factories in Gazipur are struggling to keep production at full capacity due to a shortage of diesel, as filling stations in the area have stopped supplying fuel in containers over the past two days.

Bangladeshi exporters of vegetables and other perishable goods face mounting losses as airspace closures across the Middle East, triggered by escalating US-Israeli war on Iran, have severed vital trade routes since late February.

Shipping disruptions, cargo rerouting, and rising freight and insurance costs are set to increase business expenses

Bangladesh’s merchandise exports fell for the seventh consecutive month in February, declining 12.03 percent year-on-year (YoY) to $3.49 billion, driven primarily by weakening garment shipments.

The US-Iran war is poised to increase the prices of imported petroleum products, LNG and disrupt the supply chain of industrial raw materials.

The market share of Bangladesh in the European Union’s (EU) apparel market increased to 21.57 percent in 2025 from 20.78 percent in 2024 thanks to the rising demand for locally made apparel items in the EU.

Bangladesh shipped apparels worth 19.41 billion euros in 2025 to the EU

The United Nations Committee for Development Policy (UN CDP) has discussed Bangladesh’s request to defer its graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category by three years during its latest plenary session.

The panel discussed Bangladesh’s application at its 28th plenary session today at the UN Headquarters in New York

Bangladesh expanded its footprint in the United States apparel market to 10.53 percent in 2025, up from 9.26 percent a year earlier, as American buyers shifted orders away from China, according to official data.

The government yesterday appointed Md Mostaqur Rahman, a garment entrepreneur, as the governor of Bangladesh Bank for four years, replacing Ahsan H Mansur.

The garment entrepreneur by profession will hold the post for the next four years

Bangladesh shipped apparel worth $8.20 billion out of the $77.88 billion imported by the US last year

The commerce ministry has convened a stakeholder consultation for tomorrow, bringing together economists, trade analysts, business leaders and senior officials from across the government to assess its reciprocal trade deal with the United States and determine the next steps.

Bangladesh’s plea for deferment of graduation from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) category is likely to be discussed at the five-day meeting of the UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) beginning in New York today.

The government will hold talks with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) this week to determine whether the recently signed bilateral trade deal remains valid after America’s Supreme Court struck down a large swathe of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Friday.