Bangladesh’s strategic engagement in trade agreements and economic partnerships is pivotal as it approaches its 2026 graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. To mitigate potential challenges from losing preferential market access, Bangladesh has proactively developed a Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) Policy in 2022. Under this framework, the country has initiated negotiations for significant agreements, including an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan and a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India. Additionally, Bangladesh has conducted 26 feasibility studies to explore Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), CEPAs, and EPAs with major trading partners.
Regionally, Bangladesh is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and participates in the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), which succeeded the 1993 SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement and came into force in 2006. The country also engages in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), aiming to promote free trade in the region.
Globally, Bangladesh is an active member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), aligning its trade policies with international standards. The government’s strategic approach to trade agreements aims to bolster economic resilience and sustain growth in the post-LDC graduation era.
