Leading garment producer Bangladesh holds crisis talks on US tariffs

DHAKA - Bangladesh’s interim leader called an emergency meeting on April 5 after textile leaders in the world’s second-largest garment manufacturing nation said US tariffs were a “massive blow” to the key industry.

Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 per cent of exports in the South Asian country, and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hard hit in a revolution that toppled the government last year.

US President Donald Trump on April 2 slapped punishing new tariffs of 37 per cent on Bangladesh, hiking duties from the previous 16 per cent on cotton and 32 per cent on polyester products.

Bangladesh exports US$8.4 billion (S$11 billion) of garments annually to the US, according to data from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA),the national trade body.

That totals around 20 per cent of Bangladesh’s total ready-made garments exports.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus “convened an emergency meeting... to discuss the US tariff issue,” the government said in a statement.

Mr Sheikh Bashiruddin, who holds the commerce portfolio in the government, told reporters after the meeting that Mr Yunus “will raise the issue with the US administration”.

Mr Bashiruddin said he believed Bangladesh would “not be severely affected”, adding that some other competitors faced “much higher than those on us”.

Mr Yunus’ senior adviser, Mr Khalilur Rahman, said the government had been readying for the tariff hike, and had began talks with US officials in February.

“I have already spoken with several State Department officials,” Mr Rahman said on April 5.

“The discussions are ongoing. We will take the necessary steps based on these discussions.”