Bangladesh’s exports continued to grow steadily in the first eight months of FY2024-25, despite global economic uncertainties and domestic concerns such as high inflation and political instability.
According to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), key sectors, including garments, plastics, and seafood, posted notable gains.
Export earnings in February reached $3.97 billion, marking a 2.77% year-on-year increase. Total export revenue from July to February stood at $32.94 billion, reflecting a 10.5% rise from the previous year.
The readymade garment (RMG) sector, which accounts for over 81% of total exports, saw a 1.66% increase in February. Overall, apparel exports grew 10.64% to $26.79 billion during the eight-month period, with knitwear exports climbing 11.01% to $14.34 billion and woven garment exports increasing 10.22% to $12.45 billion.
Faruque Hassan, former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), expressed optimism about future orders but stressed the need for improved security, as international retailers have raised concerns. He noted that Bangladesh is benefiting from U.S. tariff policies on Chinese and Mexican apparel, which have redirected orders to local manufacturers.
Beyond garments, manufactured goods exports rose 10.49% to $31.87 billion. Segments such as plastic products (22.25%), rubber (34.71%), and headgear (11.40%) saw strong growth.
Leather product exports increased 8.48%, driven by a 24.02% rise in leather footwear sales. However, raw leather exports declined 8.68%.
The engineering sector expanded 7.48%, led by electric products (13.51%) and bicycles (64.7%). Specialized textiles grew 21.62%, while terry towel exports slumped 41% in February due to rising production costs and customs-related challenges.
