Japan, which is one of the most promising and strongly emerging non-traditional apparel export destinations for Bangladesh wherein the latter would lose the trade benefits it currently enjoys as a least developed country, once it makes the LDC transition, to address which economists and experts have called for signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan.
According to media reports, even the Governments of the respective countries also perceive FTA as the most viable alternative even if Bangladesh Planning Minister MA Mannan recently, reportedly, stated Japan would be a strong contender in Bangladesh’s list for signing an FTA.
Underlining Bangladesh attaches the highest importance to its relationship with Japan, the Minister stated, “…based on the experiences of the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Japan over the last 50 years, we are looking forward to the next 50 years, which are going to be much better, stronger and warmer.”
Reports further added the Japanese envoy to Bangladesh, Ito Naoki said Tokyo was mulling initiation of a joint study on framing FTA with Bangladesh.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
