BTTC reminded to submit report by July 25

The Ministry of Commerce has issued a strong reminder to the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) over an inordinate delay in submitting an updated feasibility study report required to push forward a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with MERCOSUR, the South American trade bloc.

In an official letter issued recently by the ministry's FTA-4 branch, the BTTC has been directed to submit the long-pending updated report by July 25, 2026.

Official documents show that the commerce ministry initially requested the commission to update and send the feasibility study report on February 2, 2026, to advance formal executions for the high-potential trade pact. However, the ministry received no response or report from the trade watchdog in the intervening five months, prompting the latest official reminder.

Signed by Md. Sirajul Islam, Deputy Controller at the Ministry of Commerce, the urgent notice was forwarded to the Chairman of the BTTC, alongside copies to senior ministry officials, including the Private Secretary to the Commerce Secretary and the personal officers of the Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary overseeing FTA wings.

MERCOSUR-comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay-represents a massive consumer market in South America. Bangladesh has been actively exploring an FTA or a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with the bloc to diversify its export destinations, particularly for ready-made garments (RMG), and to secure competitive access to crucial commodities like soybean oil, sugar, and corn.

Trade analysts note that bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays in conducting critical feasibility assessments often stall Bangladesh's trade integration efforts. As the country prepares for its graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) status, accelerating bilateral and regional trade pacts like the MERCOSUR FTA is widely deemed essential to cushion against the loss of duty-free market access.

The commerce ministry's strict July 25 deadline underlines growing internal urgency to fast-track trade negotiations as global economic shifts demand swifter execution of international trade policies.