Key facts
- Japan's parliament is expected to approve an economic partnership agreement with Bangladesh.
- The pact will eliminate tariffs on approximately 7,379 Bangladeshi products, including garments.
- Bangladesh will gain access to 120 service sub-sectors in Japan for its professionals.
- The agreement was signed on February 6, 2026, in Tokyo.
Japan's Foreign Ministry is seeking parliamentary approval for an economic partnership agreement with Bangladesh during the current legislative session. The agreement, signed on February 6, 2026, in Tokyo, is Bangladesh's first EPA with any country and its first comprehensive trade deal with a developed economy. It aims to deepen bilateral cooperation and serve as a counterweight to China's growing influence.
The EPA will eliminate tariffs on approximately 7,379 Bangladeshi products, including ready-made garments, entering the Japanese market. In return, Bangladesh will grant duty-free or preferential access to 1,039 Japanese products in a phased manner. The agreement also includes a 'single stage transformation' facility for the garment sector and opens 120 service sub-sectors for skilled Bangladeshi professionals to work in Japan, while Bangladesh will open 98 sub-sectors for Japanese service providers. Negotiations for the pact began in March 2024 and concluded after seven rounds.