Dhaka: The Council of Advisers on Thursday approved a proposal to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan. This agreement will allow Bangladesh immediate duty-free access to the Japanese market for 7,379 products, while Japan will receive immediate duty-free access to 1,039 products from Bangladesh.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam described the agreement as a milestone and historic development. He noted that this move will enhance Bangladesh’s bargaining power on the global trade stage. The agreement is particularly significant for Bangladesh’s RMG products, which will now have duty-free access to Japan’s market.
As a Least Developed Country (LDC), this marks the first time Bangladesh will sign an EPA with Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy. The agreement is expected to bring substantial trade and economic benefits, including increased trade, investment, and employment opportunities, signifying a new era in economic relations between the two nations.
The negotiations commenced with the establishment of a Joint Study Group, which published its report on December 27, 2023. The report suggested a comprehensive approach covering 17 sectors for the negotiations. The official discussions for the EPA began on March 12, 2024, following the Agreed Work Plan, with the first round held in Dhaka from May 19-23, 2024. However, unforeseen challenges caused a temporary pause in the talks. Last month, Bangladesh and Japan finalized the draft of the EPA.
In addition to the EPA, the Council of Advisers approved several ordinances, proposals, and policies during its weekly meeting at the Chief Adviser’s Office, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. The Council discussed 13 significant agendas and approved 11 items, while two ordinance drafts were sent back for further review, as shared by the Press Secretary.
The approved drafts include the Bangladesh Private Export Processing Zones Act (Repeal) Ordinance, 2026, the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, among others. The Council also approved the draft of the Right to Information Ordinance, 2026, the draft of the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) Treaty between Bangladesh and Malaysia, and the National Poultry Development Policy, 2026.
The drafts of the Money Laundering Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF) Policy, 2026, were sent back for further review. Chief Adviser’s Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad was present at the briefing.