The Voice News: A proposal has been made to establish a ‘Free Trade Zone’ in Bangladesh for the United States, put forward by American citizen and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, also known as Roger Rahman. A high-level meeting was recently held at the Ministry of Commerce to discuss this proposal, focusing on setting up such a zone in the Cox’s Bazar or Teknaf region.
According to sources, the meeting was attended by senior officials, including advisers, secretaries, and deputy secretaries from the Ministry of Commerce. The primary agenda was how to boost bilateral trade in response to the U.S. government’s imposition of up to 34% reciprocal tariffs.
The National Security Adviser argued that it currently takes over 50 days to bring goods from the U.S. to Bangladesh. Therefore, to meet immediate market demands, a U.S. supply base is needed in Bangladesh where goods can be stored in advance and supplied as per demand. He drew a historical parallel with the British East India Company, which established its first trading post in Surat in 1608 to expand trade—an initiative that laid the foundation of British colonialism.
Reportedly, Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf—both located near the Myanmar border—have been selected as potential sites for the proposed ‘Free Trade Zone’. However, it remains unclear whether this location choice was influenced by the U.S. government or if it stems solely from Khalilur Rahman and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s internal strategy.
Earlier, in connection with the “Humanitarian Corridor” proposal, the government had planned to establish a supply base in Shilkhali, Teknaf, to deliver resources to the Arakan Army in Rakhine. It is yet to be confirmed whether the same location is being reconsidered for the Free Trade Zone.
Under the former Awami League government, Bangladesh had launched an initiative to establish more than 100 economic zones. Ashikur Rahman, Executive Chairman of BIDA (Bangladesh Investment Development Authority), has been actively promoting these zones to international investors, with a focus on production and supply. Experts are now questioning why a Free Trade Zone for the U.S. should be established in a high-risk, border-sensitive area like Cox’s Bazar or Teknaf instead of well-established zones like Mirersarai or Anwara.
It is worth noting that the United Nations’ earlier proposal to assist the Arakan Army in Rakhine through a “Humanitarian Corridor” sparked major controversy. At that time, the Bangladeshi public, military, and most political parties opposed the idea. Although the National Security Adviser later rebranded it as a “relief assistance channel,” he failed to gain public support.
Analysts are now asking: Is the proposed ‘Free Trade Zone’ a new strategy to achieve the same goals originally pursued through the controversial “Humanitarian Corridor”?
