Dhaka, Nov. 11 -- Bangladesh is moving to sign multiple trade deals, including Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), Free-Trade Agreements (FTAs), and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), without sufficient preparation to protect its domestic industries through robust trade-defence mechanisms, sources say.

The government is in talks with several countries on trade deals, while its EPA with Japan is in the final stage.

Experts and industry stakeholders warn that the country's limited institutional capacity could leave local businesses vulnerable to unfair trade practices such as dumping and subsidies.

The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) operates a trade defence desk with only five officials, one of whom is currently on ...