Dhaka Chamber Urges Government to Accelerate Trade Deals Before LDC Graduation

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the government to accelerate the negotiation of trade agreements ahead of Bangladesh's graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category in November 2026. ⚠️

📋 Key Recommendations

• ⚡ Fast-track FTAs — expedite negotiations with key trading partners
• 🌍 African market focus — tap into the continent's growing demand for imports
• 📦 Product diversification — promote jute, leather, and pharmaceutical exports
• 🚢 Trade infrastructure — improve port capacity and logistics efficiency
• 💰 Policy support — maintain export incentives during the transition period

🌍 African Market Opportunity

DCCI highlighted African countries as offering considerable export opportunities for Bangladeshi products, particularly:

• 🪢 Jute and jute products — eco-friendly packaging gaining demand
• 👞 Leather goods — affordable quality products for growing African middle class
• 💊 Pharmaceuticals — generic medicines for healthcare expansion
• 👕 RMG — affordable garments for price-sensitive markets
• 🌾 Agro-processed products — food items for food-deficit regions

🎓 LDC Graduation Urgency

With LDC graduation scheduled for November 2026, Bangladesh faces the loss of duty-free and quota-free access to several preference-giving markets. ⏰ The DCCI emphasized that new trade agreements must be in place before graduation to avoid disruptions to export flows. 📉

📊 Current Trade Agreement Status

Bangladesh's trade agreement landscape includes:

• 🇪🇺 EU EBA (Everything But Arms) — will expire with LDC graduation
• 🇺🇸 US reciprocal tariff agreement — 10% tariff on Bangladesh exports
• 🇯🇵 Japan EPA — recently signed, providing preferential access
• 🌏 SAFTA — South Asian Free Trade Area (limited effectiveness)
• 📋 APTAs — Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (ongoing)

🤝 Industry Call to Action

The DCCI called for a whole-of-government approach to trade negotiation, involving the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the private sector. 🏛️ The chamber also recommended establishing dedicated trade negotiation teams with technical expertise in tariff and rules-of-origin matters. 💼