The stock market opened higher today amid optimism that Bangladesh would not face a significant impact from the additional tariff imposed by the US administration.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), rose 23 points, or 0.44 percent, to 5,228 within the first hour of trading.

The DSES, the index comprising shariah-compliant companies, gained 5 points to reach 1,172, while the DS30, which tracks blue-chip stocks, advanced 14 points to 1,944.

Of the traded securities, 235 advanced, 74 declined and 75 remained unchanged.

Last week, the US government claimed that Bangladesh effectively imposes a 74 percent tariff on American goods. In response, it announced a 37 percent "discounted reciprocal tariff" on Bangladeshi products entering the US market.

Against this backdrop, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has decided to write to US President Donald Trump, while Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin will address the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the lead agency for US trade policy.

Both letters will outline specific policy measures aimed at deepening trade ties and restoring investor confidence.

The decision to draft the letters was taken yesterday at a high-level meeting at the finance ministry, attended by four advisers to the interim government, senior bureaucrats and representatives from key export sectors.