Independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana on Wednesday raised questions in Parliament regarding a trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States, urging the government to present the full document before the House.
Raising the matter on a point of order, she said the agreement had been signed just days before the last national election, at a time when concerns had already been voiced by civil society and policy experts over certain provisions perceived to be contrary to Bangladesh’s interests.
Referring to recent developments, Rumeen Farhana noted that the issue resurfaced following a meeting between the US ambassador and the commerce minister a day earlier, where the envoy reportedly mentioned the agreement.
“Yesterday, our commerce minister met the US ambassador, who spoke about the trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States,” she told the House, stressing the need for transparency.
She further pointed out that the deal was signed on 9 February, only three days before the 12 February national election, raising questions about the appropriateness of finalising such an agreement at that time.
According to the lawmaker, there had been widespread debate when the deal was signed, with critics arguing that a non-elected or interim administration should refrain from entering into major international agreements, leaving such decisions to an elected government.
Rumeen Farhana also claimed that the agreement contains a clause allowing it to be revoked within 60 days, suggesting that the government still has an opportunity to review and, if necessary, reconsider the decision.
She called on the authorities to place the agreement before Parliament to ensure accountability and allow lawmakers to assess its implications for the country’s economic and strategic interests.
