BE Magazine

The Trade Winds Indo-Pacific Forum & Mission of
the US Department of Commerce that began in New
Delhi on May 6 concluded in Dhaka on May 13. The
Trade Winds was the first major US trade mission to
Bangladesh in recent history.
And in the 7th Bangladesh-U.S. Partnership Dialogue
in Washington held in June 10th, it was affirmed that
the United States will continue to support US private
sector involvement in Bangladesh, through initiatives
such as the Trade Winds mission to Dhaka.
‘win-win option’
According to information of the office of the United
States Trade Representatives (USTR) website, the total
(two way) US-Bangladesh goods trade during 2018
was $8.2 billion. Bangladesh exported products worth
$6.1 billion to the US in 2018, mostly consisted of
woven and knit apparel, textile articles and footwear.
In turn, the US exported goods worth $2.1 billion to
Bangladesh, in 2018. Top US export categories include
cotton, wheat, soybeans, aircraft, iron and steel and
machineries.
According to the information posted in the website
of the US Embassy in Bangladesh, the United States
accounted for 23% of the stock of foreign direct
investment in Bangladesh at the end of 2017. As per
the USTR information, US FDI in Bangladesh (stock)
was $513 million in 2018, a 11.5% increase from 2017.
The largest foreign investors in Bangladesh are US
companies. Vast majority of these investments are
in the oil and gas, banking and insurance, and power
generation sectors. Chevron is the single largest
foreign investor, producing some 55% of Bangladesh’s
domestic natural gas.
The Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh
Hasina, while speaking at a luncheon roundtable
organized by the US Chamber of Commerce in
27
foreign direct Investment
U.S. Goods Trade with Bangladesh (in millions of Dollars)
1995 2000 2008 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Total 1,582.3 2,656.7 4,216.5 6,060.7 6,390.0 6,933.0 6,915.8 7,160.4 8,184.0
Exports 325.0 239.1 468.1 708.3 1,113.2 942.5 905.7 1,473.8 2,081.5
Imports 1,257.2 2,417.6 3,748.4 5,351.9 5,276.8 5,990.5 5,910.1 5,686.5 6,102.6
Balance -932.2 -2,178.4 -3,280.4 -4,643.2 -4,163.5 -6,047.9 -5,004.3 -4,212.7 -4,021.1
SOURCE: USTR
U.S Manufacturing Trade with Bangladesh (in millions of dollars)
1995 2000 2008 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Total NA 2,420.1 3,855.1 5,760.1 6,023.1 6,387.6 6,243.0 6.079.7 6,823.6
Exports NA 153.2 252.6 497.5 808.3 484.3 437.7 480.3 811.5
Imports NA 2,266.8 3,602.5 5,262.7 5,214.8 5,903.3 5,806.3 5,599.4 6,012.1
Balance NA -2,113.6 -3,349.9 -4,765.2 -4,406.6 -5,419.0 -5,367.6 -5,119.0 -5,200.5
SOURCE: USTR
December, 2019
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