Bangladesh will seek an extension from the United States if it fails to reach a deal within the 90-day tariff pause announced by the Trump administration, said Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed today.

"We will engage, not anger them," Ahmed said while addressing a group of business leaders at a budget consultative meeting organised to discuss tax measures for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) jointly organised the event at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.

At the meeting, the FBCCI submitted a set of tax-related proposals to the NBR on behalf of the business community for the fiscal year 2024-25.

In an attempt to address America's trade deficit, the Trump administration imposed higher import tariffs on goods from hundreds of countries and later announced a 90-day pause.

Bangladeshi exports to the US are facing the prospect of a 37 percent additional tariff unless a deal is reached. 

If the tariff cannot be reduced through negotiations, the effective duty on local exports to the US could exceed 52 percent.