On January 9, 2026 the United States and Bangladesh announced that the countries will enter into Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (“ART”) which will reduce tariffs on certain imports from Bangladesh in exchange for significant market access commitments by the South Asian country.

The United States will maintain a 19 percent reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Bangladesh and identify certain products which will receive a zero percent reciprocal tariff rate. Further, certain textile and apparel goods will be subject to a tariff rate quota under a to-be-determined volume of imports that will be subject to a zero rate. The Joint Statement suggests the volume subject to the zero duty rate will be dependent on the amount of U.S. produced cotton and U.S. man-made fiber textile inputs in the exported product.

Bangladesh has committed to providing significant preferential market access for U.S. industrial and agricultural goods, including chemicals, machinery and parts, medical devices, motor vehicles and parts, information and communications technology equipment, energy products, soy products, dairy products, beef, poultry, and tree nuts and fruit.

In particular, the country will accept vehicles built to U.S. Federal motor vehicle safety and emissions standards. It will also accept U.S. Food and Drug Administration certificates and prior marketing authorizations for medical devices and pharmaceuticals. With respect to food and agricultural products, Bangladesh has committed to accepting certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities and recognizing U.S. sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Further it has committed to removing any import restrictions or licensing requirement on U.S. remanufactured goods or their parts.     

Bangladesh has also agreed to commitments in other areas such as strengthening labor rights, and environmental protections, removing barriers to digital trade and the insurance market, advancing anti-corruption measures and addressing distortions by state-owned enterprise.   

With respect to intellectual property rights, Bangladesh will strengthen IP enforcement. However, with respect to geographical indication (GI) protections, the country will allow U.S. meat and cheese products to use common names.

Bangladesh is also expected to undertake purchases commitments in agriculture, energy and technology. For instance, Bangladesh will purchase wheat, soy, soy products, and cotton, with an estimated total value of $3.5 billion; purchase energy products with an estimated value of $15 billion over 15 years and commit to procuring U.S. aircraft.

The countries are expected to finalize the agreement soon.

The Husch Blackwell International Trade Team continues to monitor developments and will provide updates as they are available.