Bangladesh has appealed against Jakarta's imposition of safeguard duty on export of apparel items to Indonesia. On February 23, the committee on safeguards of the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a notification on the duty imposition.

As per this notification, Jakarta imposed a safeguard duty ranging from $0.44 to $11.29 per piece on readymade garments (RMG) from Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and Singapore. The RMG items include top garments (casual), top garments (formal), bottom garments, suits, ensembles and dresses, outwear, babies' garments and clothing accessories, and headwear and neckwear.

Opposing this imposition, Hafizur Rahman, Director General-WTO Cell, Commerce Ministry, said a Bangladesh delegation comprising representatives of commerce ministry, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) took part in a hearing in November last year.

Indonesia's textile association appealed to the Safeguards Committee saying the country's RMG import was hurting the domestic apparel makers. Subsequently, the Indonesian Safeguards Committee conducted an investigation in 2017-2019 and came up with the measure.