Bangladesh’s Minister of Commerce, Mahbubur Rahman, announced on Sunday (July 27) that Bangladesh has placed an order for 25 aircraft from Boeing and increased imports of key American goods in hopes of persuading the Trump administration to lower tariffs.
These measures are part of a broader strategy by Bangladesh aimed at reducing the $6 billion trade deficit between the United States and Bangladesh, and avoiding the impending 35% tariff that the United States is set to impose on Bangladesh.
On July 7, U.S. President Donald Trump sent letters to Bangladesh and 14 other countries, informing them that starting on August 1, tariffs will be imposed according to new rates, with Bangladesh facing a 35% tariff. The high tariffs could severely impact Bangladesh’s export industries, particularly the garment sector, as the United States is one of the largest markets for Bangladeshi garments.
Minister Rahman told reporters on Sunday, “We urgently need some aircraft in the next year or two, as Bangladesh’s aviation fleet needs expansion.”
Rahman also mentioned that other countries have taken similar actions. India and Vietnam have each ordered 100 aircraft, and Indonesia has ordered 50. Boeing will supply according to its production capacity.
Apart from the aircraft deal, Bangladesh is increasing imports of wheat, soybean oil, and cotton from the United States. Under a new agreement signed earlier this month, Bangladesh will import 700,000 tons of U.S. wheat annually over the next five years.
Bangladeshi officials hope that these initiatives will help improve trade relations with the United States and mitigate the impact of the Trump administration’s tariff measures. Bangladesh has already conducted two rounds of negotiations with the U.S. government this month. Rahman stated that a delegation from Bangladesh is expected to visit the United States this week, with hopes of reaching an agreement before August 1.
【This article referenced reports from Reuters and Anadolu Agency】