TDS Desk:

The government is set to import 220,000 tonnes of wheat from the United States under a government-to-government arrangement in an effort to reduce the trade gap between the two countries.

The proposal is expected to be placed at on Wednesday meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, a senior official of the food ministry.

This will be the first wheat import from the US in nearly seven years. Bangladesh usually sources wheat from Russia and Ukraine to meet its domestic demand.

To retain export opportunities for Bangladeshi products at reduced tariffs, the government has adopted a strategy to import multiple items from the US, aiming to rebalance trade.

Officials believe the initiative will positively impact future discussions and policy decisions in Washington.

Earlier, Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding with US Wheat Associates decided to import 700,000 tonnes of wheat annually from the US, worth about $200 million, as part of efforts to secure lower tariffs from the Trump administration on its exports.