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The third round of talks on the Bangladesh-US tariff issue officially began on Tuesday at 2:00 pm US local time, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Press Wing said in a statement on Wednesday.
The informal discussion began at 12:30 pm and will continue until 5:30 pm The discussion will resume on Wednesday at 9 am local time. Ahead of the meeting, the Bangladesh delegation arrived in Washington on Tuesday morning. The Bangladesh team is led by Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin, and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman are in the US capital for the three-day talks. Officials from various ministries and departments participated in the meeting virtually from Dhaka. Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch is leading the US delegation. He is accompanied by officials from trade and customs. Bangladesh has already signed a deal to purchase 700,000 tonnes of wheat annually from the US. Plans are underway to increase LNG imports and to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft from the US, Bangladesh's local media reported. The MoU to import wheat was signed by Md Abul Hasanat Humayun Kabir, Director General of the Food Department, on behalf of the Bangladesh government, and Joseph K. Sower, Vice President of the US Wheat Association, on behalf of the United States, in the presence of Bangladesh's Food Adviser, Ali Imam Majumdar. Speaking at the event, Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder said that this MoU will create opportunities to build trust and create broader areas of mutual trade cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States, and the people of both countries will benefit. "This MoU was signed between Bangladesh and the United States to ensure the overall food security, nutritional quality, and food supply of the country", the Bangladesh interim government said in a statement. The US, on the same day, announced that it will continue joint military exercises with Bangladesh. "The Armed Forces of Bangladesh and the United States military will continue their longstanding partnership this summer through three joint exercises and the delivery of a new capability that will reinforce our common security interests. These efforts help to make the United States and Bangladesh stronger, and the region safer," the US Embassy in Dhaka said in a statement. Earlier, two days ahead of the July 9 deadline, US President Donald Trump issued a letter to Bangladesh, imposing a 35 per cent tariff. According to the letter, the tariff will take effect on August 1. (ANI)
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