The Council of Advisers on Thursday approved a proposal to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, which will help Bangladesh enjoy immediate duty-free access to the Japanese market for 7,379 products. In return, Japan will receive immediate duty-free access to 1,039 products from Bangladesh through the signing of the EPA between Bangladesh and Japan. It will be a milestone and historic agreement, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told the reporters at the Foreign Service Academy. As a Least Developed Country (LDC), the press secretary said, Bangladesh will, for the first time, sign an EPA with Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy. The Council gave final approval to drafts of the Bangladesh Private Export Processing Zones Act (Repeal) Ordinance, 2026, the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, the Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, the Gambling Prevention Ordinance, 2026, the Dhaka Central University Ordinance, 2026, the Private Educational Institutions Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Board Ordinance, 2026 and the Private Educational Institutions Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust Ordinance, 2026.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 22, 2026 16:55 UTC