Japan and Bangladesh to negotiate economic partnership agreement

TOKYO/MUMBAI -- Japan and Bangladesh are set to agree to launch negotiations for an economic partnership agreement as early as end of the month, Nikkei has learned, with the countries aiming to seal the deal in 2025.

Bangladesh exports a significant amount of textiles to Japan, with many Japanese companies investing in the South Asian nation. However, Bangladesh is expected to be upgraded from a United Nations list of "least-developed countries" in 2026, meaning that it will no longer be exempt from tariffs on exports to developed nations.