, Sept. 16 -- Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said Bangladesh is keeping its options open for expanding trade with the US and other partners, stressing that all import decisions will be based on commercial viability and long-term economic strategy.

"We are in a relatively comfortable position compared to others. For instance, our trade deficit stands at $7.8 billion while Vietnam's is $125 billion. What we decide to import depends on which items can help reduce the gap," the Finance Adviser said.

He said this emerging from a meeting of Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Secretariat.

Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting.

A visiting US trade...