US Visa bond: Dhaka seeks relief on tariff, business travel

Dhaka has requested Washington to ease business travel for Bangladeshis following the United States’ decision to add the country to its visa bond list.

Bangladesh also sought a reduction of the 20 percent US reciprocal tariff on its goods, particularly apparel made with US inputs, and requested access to financing from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for the private sector, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

The issues were discussed during a meeting between National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman and US Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Washington, DC, on Thursday.

Khalilur, who is on a five-day visit to US, also met Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch.

The US recently included Bangladesh among countries whose nationals must deposit refundable bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 for business and tourist visas, a move Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain described as “unfortunate.”

Business leaders said the bond requirement would make necessary travel to the US difficult, potentially affecting trade ties.

Last year, Washington imposed a 20 percent reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi goods and sought to narrow trade gaps. In 2024, the US imported $8.37 billion worth of goods from Bangladesh, while exports to Bangladesh stood at $2.21 billion.

Bangladesh has since increased imports of US products, including wheat, cotton and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and pledged to buy Boeing aircraft in the coming years.

In light of rising trade, Khalilur urged Greer to ease business travel and sought DFC access, citing progress in labour reforms, said the press release.

“Even before the formal execution of the reciprocal trade agreement, Bangladesh has made major strides in reducing the trade gap by substantially increasing imports from the US,” it quoted Khalilur as saying.

The USTR ambassador agreed to positively consider Dhaka’s proposals, the press release said.

Greer also agreed to give serious consideration to Khalilur’s proposal to lower or eliminate US reciprocal tariff on apparel using US content, it added.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Tareq Md Ariful Islam accompanied Khalilur in the meeting.

Khalilur is scheduled to meet US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapoor today.