In yet another act of reckless desperation, the fascist, West-backed, pro-Islamist regime of Muhammad Yunus is rushing to lock Bangladesh into a shadowy, secret tariff agreement with the United States—just three days before its sham February 12 “election”—proving once again that this illegitimate junta prioritises groveling to Washington and selling out national interests over transparency, sovereignty, or the welfare of Bangladeshi industries and people.
This so-called “bilateral tariff agreement,” set to be inked in Washington on February 9, reeks of backroom betrayal. The Yunus clique has already shackled itself with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to keep every detail hidden from the public, parliament, business leaders, and the nation—classic authoritarian secrecy from a caretaker dictatorship terrified of scrutiny.
No draft has been shared, no consultations held, no parliamentary debate allowed. Business titans from BGMEA to DCCI are left in the dark, fuming over being sidelined while the regime barters away the country’s future, reports the daily Prothom Alo.
BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haque Khan rightly blasts the timing: “I was surprised to see the signing… just three days before the election. I still believe this should have been done after the election, because it carries major implications.”
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed echoes the outrage, slamming the unknown contents and urging that “the responsibility of signing such an agreement… should rest with a government elected by the people.”
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These aren’t fringe voices—they represent the backbone of Bangladesh’s export economy, now forced to swallow whatever poison Yunus’s cronies have negotiated in secret.
The regime’s spin? Lower tariffs on Bangladeshi exports (potentially from the current 20% reciprocal rate) in exchange for… what? Forced surges in US imports—wheat, soybean oil, corn, cotton, LNG, aircraft, military equipment—while slashing deals with China and opening the doors wide for American automobiles and parts with zero extra inspections or certifications.
This isn’t mutual benefit; it’s economic vassalage. Washington gets to flood Bangladesh’s market, widen its trade surplus, and dictate terms under the guise of “national security” and “digital trade”—all while Yunus’ pro-Islamist, West-pandering junta bends over backwards to appease Trump and secure short-term crumbs for the garment sector at the expense of long-term sovereignty.
Pro-regime economist Debapriya Bhattacharya nails the treachery: this isn’t just a tariff deal—it’s laden with “geopolitical and political dimensions,” signed through a non-transparent process that ties the hands of any incoming elected government. Why the frantic rush at the regime’s dying breath? To saddle the next administration with irreversible concessions, preempt democratic debate, and cement Western influence before the facade of “interim” rule crumbles.
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Had this been post-election, parties could have scrutinized it; instead, Yunus’ thugs hide behind “ongoing process” excuses while quietly handing over ports, terminals, and now trade policy to foreign powers.
This junta—already accused of rigging elections, jailing opponents, appeasing extremists, and dismantling secular institutions—is now auctioning Bangladesh’s economic independence to imperial patrons. The NDA gag, the election-eve timing, the refusal to consult stakeholders—it’s all designed to evade accountability and impose a one-sided capitulation. Bangladesh’s $6 billion export surplus with the US is being sacrificed for illusory tariff relief, forcing massive import hikes that could devastate local industries, inflate costs, and deepen dependency.
Activists have demanded full disclosure, immediate halt to the signing, and rejection of any deal rammed through by an unelected, West-backed cabal. True sovereignty cannot be bartered in shadows three days before a farce of an election. Bangladesh deserves leaders who fight for its people—not puppets who kneel to foreign powers.
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