Fashion
Bangladesh keen on finalising EPA talks with EU by 2028: Top official
The aim is to secure duty-free access to its largest export destination in the period following graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status in 2026, according to commerce secretary Mahbubur Rahman.
Bangladesh is keen on finalising talks on an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the EU by 2028.
The negotiations are, however, yet to start.
The aim is to secure duty-free access to its largest export destination in the period following graduation from the LDC status in 2026, commerce secretary Mahbubur Rahman said.
Concluding the EPA negotiations with the EU may take three years, he noted.
The government has given approval to begin the negotiation process with the EU for that, he told a seminar on the Bangladesh-US tariff issue organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
Concluding the EPA negotiations with the EU may take three years and the EU has assured that it will allow zero-duty trade benefits for Bangladesh up to 2029, Rahman was cited as saying by domestic media reports.
The government is prioritising signing free trade agreements (FTAs) with its major trade partners. It has concluded the final round of negotiations for signing an EPA with Japan. The first round of negotiations for signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with South Korea was completed last month.
On reducing the trade gap with the United States, Bangladesh has been constructing warehouses to facilitate the import and sale of US cotton, he added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
While trends in high frequency indicators for January-February 2026 appear favourable, the heightened uncertainty around the duration of the Middle East conflict casts a shadow on the near-term macroeconomic outlook for India amid high import dependency for items like crude oil, natural gas and fertilisers, it noted.
India’s FY27 GDP growth is likely to slow to 6.5 per cent from the projected 7.5 per cent in FY26 owing to the impact of higher energy prices and concerns around energy availability, ICRA Ratings said.
The heightened uncertainty around the duration of the Iran war casts a shadow on the near-term macroeconomic outlook for India.
If the conflict lasts longer, the adverse effects could widen across sectors.
If the conflict lasts for an extended period, the adverse implications of the same could widen across sectors, amid an uptick in input costs and the consequent impact on profitability of the India corporate sector.
Amid the projected uptrend in the consumer price index-based inflation in FY27 with risks tilted to the upside, ICRA Ratings expects an extended pause on the policy rates by the central bank’s monetary policy committee in the fiscal despite the anticipated softening in the GDP growth. However, it expects the Reserve Bank of India to continue to intervene on the liquidity front during FY27.
The available data for January–February FY2026 indicate a positive trend across most non-agricultural indicators, with the year-on-year performance of 12 out of 18 indicators improving compared to the third quarter of FY26, while the remaining six deteriorated.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Indonesia’s apparel exports rose modestly to $8.705 billion in 2025 from $8.316 billion in 2024, reflecting gradual recovery.
The US remained dominant, accounting for over 56 per cent of shipments, highlighting growing market dependence.
While Japan, South Korea and Europe offered stability, exports stayed concentrated in key products and segments.
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Methanol prices in India have surged nearly 150 per cent from pre-Iran–US tension levels, tracking a sharp rise in crude oil and tightening global energy markets.
Hormuz disruption risks, limited rerouting capacity, rising freight and insurance costs, and constrained imports are fuelling volatility, with prices seen approaching ₹90 per kg.
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