[🇧🇩] The U.S.A.---A Strategic Partner of Bangladesh

[Saif]

The biggest advantage we can gain - especially with this US administration trying to revive US agricultural output (in this case - cotton production for using in apparel production in Indonesia and Bangladesh which will be marketed and sold in the US) - is an assured market for our apparel in the US.

I have to Thank Khalilur Rahman Bhai and Bashir Bhai of Akij-Bashir Group (advisers in Yunus' interim administration) to negotiate for Bangladesh and get us a wonderful reprieve from the Trump punitive tariff regime which would have killed our economy otherwise.

Which means we have to buy American cotton and Boeing airplanes in any case - but none of these are low quality items and will lessen the problems we have in buying and processing low quality problematic Indian cotton.

Indians as usual are raising their usual "shor" about Bangladesh turning away from dependency on Indian product, but what they have to understand is that, if US doesn't buy our apparel, our people don't eat and in return we can't buy whatever quantity of Indian agri products either like rice, onions or potatoes, which makes Indians eat.

Ergo - we don't make money = Indians starve. As simple as that.

If Indians are ingrates and don't appreciate our supporting their economy, then there are about a dozen other very grateful countries who will be very glad to supply these things and take our money, primarily, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Egypt.

If we buy cotton, we will get duty free access to the US market for our apparel products. Buying BOEING planes, and agricultural products from the US make sure lower tariff on our products by the US administration. So, commerce deal with the US makes sure our continued export earnings from the US market which is vital for our economy.