The government will review various clauses of the recent trade agreement signed with the United States, Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman has said, while Foreign Minister and Commerce Minister defended the deal and reiterated it cannot be changed.
"If we look at the agreement, there is an option to cancel it with a 60-day notice. There are also provisions that allow both countries to amend various clauses through mutual discussion," he said at a press conference at the Directorate of Information (PID) in the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Dr Zahed said the government was not considering outright cancellation, but would instead carry out a detailed review of the agreement's provisions and seek amendments where necessary.
"The agreement should first undergo a full review at the government level," he said, adding that clauses found to be harmful to the state or public interest would be taken up for discussion with relevant stakeholders.
He stressed that international agreements must be assessed carefully before any decision on withdrawal, warning of possible diplomatic and economic consequences.
"If the agreement is canceled, the United States may impose new tariffs on Bangladeshi export products. Bilateral relations may also be affected. Therefore, the matter must be considered very carefully," he said.
The adviser also noted that the government was examining the broader context in which several international agreements were signed during the final period of the interim administration.
He further clarified that international arrangements vary in nature, saying: "Some are agreements, some are memorandums of understanding. Each has a different legal framework and obligations."
According to him, in many cases legal obligations are binding enough that withdrawal could cause more harm than continuation.
He also pointed out that some agreements include confidentiality clauses restricting disclosure of certain provisions.
"The government will evaluate any agreement that is harmful to the people. If necessary, initiatives will be taken to reconsider problematic clauses," he added, stressing a preference for dialogue over confrontation.
"We hope it will be possible to discuss with the relevant parties those clauses that appear problematic or harmful to the state," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Zahed said the government is set to form a high-level investigation committee comprising local and international experts to probe the measles outbreak, vaccine shortages and child deaths in the country.
He said the situation had reached an alarming stage, with more than 400 children reported dead.
"This is a very serious matter. The reasons behind the vaccine shortage, possible negligence in supply or administration, and administrative weaknesses will all be investigated," he said, adding that legal action would follow if wrongdoing is identified.
On the country's energy situation, he said supply remains stable and there is no crisis at present.
"Energy supply is continuing according to demand. There is no reason for the public to panic," he said.
Separately, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said after a meeting with US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch that international agreements cannot be treated like private contracts.
"Any agreement between two countries is not like a private agreement that can be canceled whenever someone wants," he said.
However, he added that provisions exist for amending clauses if they are found to be inconsistent with national interests, describing such deals as intended to create a "win-win" outcome.
There have also been concerns raised over the structure of the agreement, with reports suggesting it contains 131 conditions for Bangladesh compared to six for the United States.
