On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said the move is part of Bangladesh’s strategy to expand government-level imports from the US in response to tariff pressures. Mahbubur also said Bangladesh would promote US cotton imports, which are already tariff-free, and prioritise American suppliers for government grain purchases. Much of our military equipment — especially vehicles and hardware — already comes from the US.”He clarified that “military hardware” refers primarily to armoured vehicles and support machinery, not weaponry. We’re fine with that.”The announcement follows a letter from Trump to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Monday, confirming a 35 percent supplementary tariff on all Bangladeshi exports. Trump had earlier announced steep duties on over 100 countries in April, including a 37 percent hike for Bangladesh.
