United States and Bangladesh Mutual trade agreement Writ on Validity

A+ A A-

A writ has been filed regarding the validity of Bangladesh’s reciprocal trade agreement (Agreement on Reciprocal Trade-ART) with the United States. A lawyer of the Supreme Court filed the writ in the concerned branch of the High Court today on Monday as the petitioner.

During the previous interim government, the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) was signed between Bangladesh and the United States on February 9. There are various discussions and criticisms about this agreement. The writ petitioner is lawyer Mohammad Maidul Islam. On his behalf, Supreme Court lawyer Subir Nandi Das filed the writ in the concerned branch.

Referring to the agreement as clearly unreasonable and discriminatory, lawyer Subir Nandi Das told Prothom Alo that it appears to be a measure to squeeze the economy of Bangladesh. Because, in the agreement, obligations have been imposed on 131 issues in Bangladesh and 6 issues in the case of the United States. The agreement is not only for the national interest of Bangladesh; Rather, it is harmful to the general public as well. In negotiating and implementing the agreement, those concerned have failed to protect the country’s economic sovereignty and public welfare. Basically the writ is made on these arguments. The writ will be taken up tomorrow in a High Court bench headed by Justice Ahmed Sohail.

Bapex Begins Drilling New Gas Well in Noakhali to Boost National Supply

Read More

As seen in the prayer of the writ, a rule has been sought as to why the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade-ART signed between Bangladesh and the United States on February 9 should not be declared invalid. The ruling sought a ban on the issuance and exchange of mutual written notifications between the United States and Bangladesh under the terms of the treaty while it is pending. The secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Commerce has been made a respondent in the writ.