Bangladesh is in talks with the 15-member RCEP bloc and is likely to take a call about joining it after the elections on January 7. India had pulled out of the RCEP pact in 2019 after negotiating for seven years, citing concerns on trade deficit with China, circumvention of rules of origin, and how the base rate of customs duty was unaddressed. The RCEP now comprises the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), as well as Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.