Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has said that no action will be taken that undermines Bangladesh’s national interest, in light of the United States’ imposition of a 35 percent tariff.

He made the remarks on Thursday (July 24) while responding to questions from journalists in front of his office at the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat.

Responding to a question about the US tariff, the adviser said, “We sent a letter to the US Trade Representative two days ago outlining our position. We are now waiting for a response and an invitation. Once we receive those, our team will proceed there.”

When asked whether there is enough time before the August 1 deadline to receive a response, he said, “This matter is as important for the United States as it is for us. There is no stagnation on our end. We are proceeding with full momentum.”

Sheikh Bashir Uddin added, “We have clearly presented our position and outlined our responsibilities based on our capacity. Now we are waiting for a reply. Once it arrives, we’ll go.”

When asked about his expectations, the adviser said, “I’ve spoken about this before. We are expecting something positive. We are taking the steps necessary to achieve a good outcome. We believe we will get something positive from them.”

Asked whether there has been any move to appoint a lobbyist on behalf of business leaders, he said, “That falls under the jurisdiction of the private sector. The government has not appointed any lobbyist independently.”

He added, “In my opinion, a lobbyist may not be able to comprehend the inter-ministerial legal processes. Almost all ministries are working together on this. For the past 15 days, we have been working day and night. Altogether, we have presented our position and will proceed once we are invited.”

When asked about a report circulating on social media suggesting that the US may gain an advantage at the expense of Bangladesh’s national interest, the adviser replied, “I have no comment on that. Like you, I am also a citizen of Bangladesh.”

“Why would we act against the national interest of Bangladesh?” the adviser said. “This is a completely baseless question. If we were willing to compromise, there would be no need for inter-ministerial meetings. We could have simply accepted a deal. If national interest is being undermined, then what is the point of all this hard work?”

Asked whether he expects to receive an invitation before August, Sheikh Bashir Uddin said, “We are requesting an online schedule within today or tomorrow. So, once the online meeting takes place—possibly tomorrow—we will know more.”

SMS/