ISTANBUL

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus discussed bilateral relations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the phone on Monday.

Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor to Bangladesh's interim government, described the 15-minute conversation with Rubio as "warm, cordial, and constructive, reflecting excellent bilateral engagement between the two nations," according to a Facebook post.

The two "affirmed their shared commitment to deepening economic ties between the United States and Bangladesh and to enhancing security and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region," according to a separate statement released by the US Department of State.

Bangladesh has already announced that a general election in the country will be held in February of next year under Yunus' interim government, which was formed following the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an uprising in August 2024.

Earlier on April 7, Dhaka urged its top garment export destination, the US, to postpone reciprocal tariffs of 37% for three months to prepare for the Trump administration's new measures.

Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment exporter, after China. The US is Bangladesh's top export destination, accounting for $8.4 billion in 2024, including $7.34 billion in readymade garments.

The total trade between Washington and Dhaka was estimated to be $10.6 billion in 2024, according to official US data from the trade representative office.