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While Bangladesh may not appear to be a major player on the bilateral FTA front, it is currently under many pressures and involved in various discussions:
 The government was dealt harsh arrangements from the EU in the two parties’ trade and development cooperation agreement of 2001, through which Dhaka accepted WTO-plus demands from the EU, for instance to allow corporate monopoly rights over seeds (patenting);
Since several years, the government is in controversial talks with the US over a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, a preliminary to a possible FTA with Washington; a TIFA is likely to be signed soon, as the US clearly wants one;
India has been pushing for a bilateral FTA with Bangladesh, but the World Bank has made clear that India would benefit more;
Pakistan has been pushing for an FTA with Bangladesh as well;
Bangladesh, for its part, is interested in developing an FTA with China.Apart from all these, the government is either negotiating or considering negotiating FTAs with Iran, Turkey, Bhutan, Malaysia, Morocco and Sri Lanka. On a regional level, Bangladesh is member of SAARC, which has its own FTA, as well as BIMSTEC, which also aims to develop one. last update: April 2009 Articles
Set up D-8 FTA, remove tariff barriers: PM
| 8-July-2010
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here today urged the Developing-8 member states to evolve their own mechanism for establishing a D-8 Free Trade Area (FTA) to increase trade and business. 
The US administration has taken the decision of the Bangladesh government rather easily despite the fact that the two countries had been engaged in negotiations on Tifa for about six years since 2003
Bangladesh rejects US trade pact
| 19-May-2010
Bangladesh has decided against signing a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States after six years of negotiations, fearing the draft pact suggested by Washington might affect its business interests
Dhaka prepares to sign free trade agreement with Delhi
| 8-March-2010
Bangladesh is to resume talks after five years on a free trade agreement (FTA) with India. It will then resume negotiations with Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
US offers Dhaka alternative to controversial trade tie
| 19-February-2010
A TIFA with the US and an FTA proposed by India have met political opposition from different quarters in Bangladesh. For Washington, "an alternative could be a US-Bangladesh Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum," US Ambassador James F. Moriarty said Thursday.
FBCCI chief’s comment on TIFA contested
| 12-February-2010
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) is not clear about what it knows of the proposed Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Dhaka and Washington.
Bangladesh: Core Group suggests signing of FTAs with three SA nations
| 8-December-2009
An official body has recommended signing of bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on goods in the first phase and similar deals on services and investment in the second phase.
European FTAs with Asian countries may harm Bangladesh
| 5-November-2009
The European Union’s bilateral free trade agreements with India, Southeast Asian nations and South Korea may be a potential threat to Bangladesh, officials of the European Commission said yesterday. 
Businesspeople, economists and trade experts are unaware of what are in the draft of the proposed Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) between Bangladesh and the US.
US presses for TIFA
| 20-October-2009
Visiting US assistant trade representative Michael J Delaney has stressed that Dhaka sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with his country to increase bilateral trade. But it’s a controversial issue in Bangladesh. |
Le stand de l’UE à la conférence sur le sida "saisi" par des militants défenseurs des génériques
| 21-July-2010
Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the U.S.- South Korea Trade Agreement
| 30-June-2010
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