Bangladesh will receive immediate duty-free access to the Japanese market for 7,379 products and broader entry into 120 Japanese service sub-sectors under a forthcoming Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, officials said on Monday.
The agreement will also grant Japan market access to 1,039 Bangladeshi products on a duty-free basis and allow Japanese firms entry into 97 Bangladeshi service sub-sectors.
Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin said the draft EPA has been finalised and is scheduled to be signed next month, making it Bangladesh’s first comprehensive economic partnership agreement with any country. He made the remarks at a press briefing at the Ministry of Commerce in the Secretariat.
Under the deal, Japan will allow tariff-free entry for 7,379 Bangladeshi products from the first day of implementation, a move expected to boost exports and diversify markets, officials said.
In services trade, Japan has agreed to open 120 sub-sectors to Bangladesh under four modes of service delivery, creating new opportunities for Bangladeshi firms and professionals, particularly in IT and emerging services. Bangladesh will open 97 service sub-sectors to Japan.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said negotiations began in late 2024 and concluded after eight rounds of talks, reflecting strong mutual confidence and cooperation.
International Affairs Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi said the agreement would help Bangladesh integrate more deeply into global and regional value chains, while BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said the EPA is expected to unlock increased Japanese investment beyond the current level of about $500 million.