Bangladesh, South Korea sign CEPA to expand trade ties

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Bangladesh and South Korea have signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Dhaka with the aim of strengthening bilateral trade and investment.

Under the agreement, 97 percent of Bangladeshi goods will receive preferential market access in South Korea, while 87 percent of South Korean products will enjoy similar market access in Bangladesh.

The signing was announced at a press conference at the Ministry of Commerce by Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir and South Korean Trade Minister Han-Koo Yeo.

Speaking to reporters, the two ministers said the agreement is expected to create new opportunities for trade and investment between the two countries.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh exported goods worth $421 million to South Korea in FY2025-26, representing a 9 percent year-on-year decline.

Available data show Bangladesh imported goods worth $614 million from South Korea during the July–December period of the last fiscal year. Bangladesh Bank data indicate total imports from South Korea reached $1.2 billion in FY2024-25, up from $903 million in FY2023-24.

The agreement follows Bangladesh's Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan signed in Tokyo in February this year, as part of efforts to maintain the country's trade competitiveness after graduating from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.