Dhaka, May 05 (V7N) — Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said that the trade agreement between Bangladesh and the United States is a “historical reality” inherited by the current government, urging people not to be unnecessarily concerned about the existing arrangement.

He made the remarks on Tuesday after a courtesy meeting with a visiting US delegation at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

The minister said the government’s primary goal is to ensure that the agreement benefits Bangladesh. He added that if any provisions are found to be contrary to national interests, there is room to address them through negotiations.

“The government will always prioritize protecting the country’s interests. However, this is not an agreement that can be abruptly canceled or terminated,” he said.

During the meeting, Bangladesh also raised concerns regarding ongoing US investigations into trade practices under Section 301. The minister expressed hope that Bangladesh would not be included in such investigations, citing the existing bilateral trade framework.

He further noted that Bangladesh does not maintain “overcapacity” in any sector and imports a large share of its goods. Even in export-oriented industries, he argued, Bangladesh lacks the economic scale to dump products at artificially low prices in foreign markets.

Highlighting the country’s export sector, the Commerce Minister said Bangladesh’s economy remains heavily dependent on ready-made garments, a sector that operates under strict compliance and monitoring standards.

He stressed that there is no room for child labor or legal violations in the country’s major export industries due to tight regulatory oversight.

END/SMA/AJ