US Launches Trade Probe Including Bangladesh and India

The United States has launched new trade investigations targeting several major trading partners, including Bangladesh and India, as part of a broader review of global trade practices.

On Wednesday (March 11), US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the investigations could lead to new tariffs on imports from countries such as China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea and Mexico as early as this summer. The probes are being conducted under Section 301 of US trade law, which allows Washington to respond to what it considers unfair trade practices.

The move comes after the US Supreme Court last month struck down a key element of the tariff policy introduced by US President Donald Trump. If the investigation finds evidence of unfair trade practices, the United States could impose new import duties on products from the countries involved.

Greer said the temporary tariffs introduced by Trump in late February are set to expire in July. He hopes the investigations will be completed before that deadline.

Countries included in the investigation alongside Bangladesh include Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Switzerland and Norway.

In April last year, Trump ordered tariffs ranging from 10 percent to 50 percent on goods imported from nearly every country. Following that decision, several countries — including Bangladesh — negotiated trade arrangements with the United States that reduced some of the tariffs and eased certain trade restrictions.

However, the recent Supreme Court ruling has created uncertainty about the future of those tariff policies. Despite that, White House officials said the broader trade agreements themselves remain in place.

The Trump administration has indicated it expects countries that reached agreements with the United States to continue complying with the conditions outlined in those deals.