Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman held a virtual meeting with United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the United States, reciprocal tariff rates, and future economic cooperation.

Assistant United States Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, Director for South and Central Asia Emily Ashby, and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami United States Spokesperson Professor Dr. Mohammad Nakibur Rahman were also present in the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman thanked United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer for initiating the call and expressed his gratitude for Ambassador Greer’s cooperation toward Bangladesh in discussions related to reciprocal tariffs.

He said that United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer had informed him that, last week, he personally met with President Donald Trump and discussed the issue of reducing reciprocal tariff rates for Bangladesh. Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman expressed his sincere thanks to Ambassador Greer for such special initiative.

Dr. Shafiqur Rahman also thanked him for the initiative to provide Bangladesh with special tariff facilities for garments manufactured using 100 percent United States cotton or United States-produced man-made fiber. He described this proposal as a “win-win” formula for both countries, which would, on the one hand, increase Bangladesh’s garment exports and, on the other, benefit the agricultural and industrial sectors of the United States.

Jamaat Ameer further said that the reciprocal tariff agreement has created a very solid and strong foundation for improving bilateral trade and economic relations between Bangladesh and the United States. He mentioned that Bangladesh is already implementing the key provisions of this agreement and is taking special measures to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries.

He further said that if Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami forms the government after the national election scheduled to be held in February, his party will continue the full implementation of this agreement and will work sincerely to further deepen trade and investment relations with the United States.

Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that they were pleased to learn of United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer’s support for Bangladesh’s access to the funds of the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

He said that the opportunity for DFC financing in the private sector would be a highly effective means of rapidly expanding bilateral trade and investment between Bangladesh and the United States.

At the concluding session of the meeting, Jamaat Ameer invited United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to visit Bangladesh and expressed hope that such a visit would further strengthen mutual understanding and partnership between the two countries.