Beyond Garments: Next 30 Years of Bangladesh-US Business Partnership

Thirty years ago, when the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham Bangladesh) began its journey, Bangladesh-US bilateral trade was less than US$1 billion. Today, the relationship has multiplied significantly. US goods trade with Bangladesh reached nearly $12 billion in 2025, while total goods and services trade was approximately $13.7 billion, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The United States is Bangladesh's largest export market, while Bangladesh has become an increasingly important market for American agricultural products, energy-related equipment, machinery, technology and services. This year, as AmCham Bangladesh celebrates its 30th anniversary, this transformation deserves special attention. 

The story is not simply about how much the two countries trade. It is about how American business has helped Bangladesh build capabilities, and how much more the two countries can achieve together. USA is one of the most important sources of foreign direct investment in Bangladesh, with a particularly significant presence in the energy sector. AmCham has noted that US investment has contributed not only capital but also technology, knowledge transfer and global business practises. That distinction matters.

Foreign investment is often measured in dollars, but its real economic value can be much greater. American companies operating in Bangladesh have brought technology, international management systems, professional standards, training and global supply chain experience. Their presence spans sectors such as energy, banking and financial services, healthcare, food and beverages, logistics, hospitality, technology and the backwards-linkage industries supporting the apparel sector. This investment has created jobs and human capital.

Bangladeshi employees and managers have been trained in international systems, quality standards, corporate governance, technology and professional practises. Many have subsequently carried that knowledge into other Bangladeshi businesses. American investment has helped build companies, people and institutions.

AmCham Bangladesh has been an important bridge between the two business communities. Over three decades, it has advocated policies and reforms aimed at strengthening Bangladesh's investment and business environment, including energy security, food safety, logistics and supply chain infrastructure, intellectual property protection, labour standards and greater predictability in regulation. It has also promoted good business practises and international standards. 

The importance of such work becomes clearer when we look at what investors need today. Capital goes where investors have confidence: infrastructure, regulation, skills, intellectual property protection and the ability to operate efficiently. Bangladesh has made considerable progress, but more work remains. The US Department of Commerce continues to identify infrastructure gaps, bureaucratic delays, regulatory complexity, corruption and other challenges as constraints on foreign investment. Improving these areas would attract more American investment and make Bangladesh more competitive for investment.

Garments will remain a cornerstone of Bangladesh's economy and its relationship with the United States. But the next phase should be much broader. The US Department of Commerce identifies power and energy, agriculture, digital economy, infrastructure and engineering, education, healthcare and pharmaceuticals as the leading sectors for US exports and investment in Bangladesh.

There are several additional opportunities. American technology companies can help Bangladesh move beyond conventional outsourcing toward AI, software, cybersecurity, cloud services and digital business operations. Bangladesh's pharmaceutical capabilities can be strengthened through US partnerships in advanced medicines, APIs, medical devices, biotechnology, healthcare services and research. American agricultural technology, cold-chain systems, storage, food processing and food-safety expertise can help Bangladesh reduce losses and develop higher-value food exports. US companies can contribute technology, engineering expertise and capital to renewable energy, power infrastructure, ports, railways and logistics. Electronics, medical devices, advanced textiles, light engineering and other higher-value industries can diversify Bangladesh's export base. Partnerships between American universities, companies and Bangladeshi institutions can develop skills in AI, robotics, data science, biotechnology and engineering while creating joint research opportunities.

These are not theoretical opportunities. The US Department of Commerce already identifies many of these areas as leading commercial sectors. From “Made in Bangladesh” to “Built Together”. For decades, the broad model was: Bangladesh produces, America buys. The next model should be: Bangladesh and America invest, innovate and build together.

That means boosting US investment in Bangladesh, integrating local companies into American global supply chains, and expanding joint ventures, technology partnerships, and research collaboration. Bangladesh will become a platform from which American companies can serve the broader South Asian and Southeast Asian markets. The challenge now is to translate this framework into actual investment and business opportunities. 

Investment follows opportunity, but it ultimately follows confidence. Bangladesh must therefore continue improving the investment environment through faster approvals, reliable energy, efficient logistics, transparent taxation, stronger intellectual property protection, effective dispute resolution and predictable regulations. These reforms are particularly important if Bangladesh wants to attract more technology-intensive and long-term US investment. The objective should not only be to attract more dollars; it should be to attract productive capital that brings technology, knowledge, skills and access to global markets.

Bangladesh's LDC graduation is an important milestone, but it should be a catalyst for competitiveness rather than the central story of our economic future. The larger opportunity is already visible. The first 30 years of Bangladesh-US business relations were largely about building trust and expanding trade. The next 30 years can be about investment, technology, knowledge, innovation and shared prosperity.

AmCham Bangladesh's 30th anniversary is therefore more than a celebration of the past. It is an opportunity to imagine the future. From less than $1 billion in bilateral trade three decades ago to nearly $12 billion in US goods trade today, the journey has been remarkable. But trade is only the beginning. 

The real ambition should be to create a relationship in which American capital, technology and knowledge combine with Bangladeshi talent, market opportunity and entrepreneurial energy. That is how Bangladesh can move beyond garments. And that is how the next 30 years of Bangladesh-US business relations can become even more transformative than the first.