Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman held a virtual meeting on Thursday morning with the United States Trade Representative to discuss bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

The meeting, which began at 9:15am Bangladesh time, focused on tariff structures, trade imbalances, and future opportunities for economic engagement between the two countries. US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer joined the call along with senior officials responsible for South and Central Asia.

At the outset, Dr Shafiqur Rahman thanked Ambassador Greer for initiating the discussion and acknowledged recent US efforts related to tariff adjustments for Bangladesh. He referred to Greer’s recent engagement with US President Donald Trump on trade matters involving Bangladesh.

The Jamaat Ameer welcomed a US proposal offering special tariff benefits for garments produced using 100 percent US cotton or manmade fibres. He described the proposal as mutually beneficial, noting that it could expand Bangladesh’s apparel exports while supporting American agriculture and manufacturing.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman said the existing bilateral tariff framework provides a solid foundation for long-term economic cooperation. He added that Bangladesh has already begun implementing key elements of the agreement and is taking steps to address trade deficits.

He further stated that if Jamaat-e-Islami forms the government following the upcoming national elections, the party would continue full implementation of the agreement and seek to deepen trade and investment ties with the United States.

The discussion also touched on Bangladesh’s access to US Development Finance Corporation funding, which Dr Shafiqur Rahman described as an effective mechanism for expanding bilateral trade and investment. He concluded by inviting Ambassador Greer to visit Bangladesh to strengthen mutual understanding.