Bangladesh’s Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin stated that the temporary suspension of U.S. tariffs has created an opportunity for dialogue, allowing Bangladesh to take steps to enhance its trade capacity and reduce trade deficits. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, April 10, at the Secretariat, he noted that the three-month suspension of additional tariffs by the U.S. offers immediate relief and opens up valuable time for negotiations.

Regarding India’s abrupt cancellation of transshipment privileges, the adviser acknowledged the move but assured that Bangladesh would manage the situation with its own arrangements and work on further strengthening its trade capacity.

Earlier, on April 8, India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued a notice canceling the transshipment agreement that allowed Bangladesh to export goods to third countries using Indian ports.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the suspension of newly imposed tariffs on over 75 countries, including Bangladesh, for 90 days. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump explained the decision was prompted by China’s disregard for global trade norms, adding that tariffs on Chinese goods were being raised to 125% immediately. However, he confirmed a temporary rollback of retaliatory tariffs to 10% for the 90-day period to allow room for negotiations.

Trump also mentioned that several countries had reached out to U.S. trade officials seeking discussions on issues such as trade barriers, tariffs, currency manipulation, and non-tariff restrictions, expressing willingness to resolve disputes through mutual understanding.