Bangladesh’s garment exports decline in 26 countries

Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) exports have fallen in 26 countries, while some markets have seen modest growth, according to industry data for July–December.

Among major European markets, exports dropped to Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden. Germany recorded an 11.4% decline from $2,468m to $2,187m, France fell 10.9% to $972m, Denmark 10.5% to $498m, and Belgium 9.2% to $268m. However, Spain (+6.2%), the Netherlands (+1.9%), and Poland (+9.4%) saw slight growth.

The European Union remains Bangladesh’s largest export destination, accounting for nearly half of total RMG exports at $9,459 million, though this reflects a 4.14% decline compared with the same period last year. Analysts cite rising production costs and pricing pressures in Europe as key challenges.

The United States, the country’s second-largest market, imported $3,839 million worth of RMG products, almost unchanged from last year, with slight growth in knitwear offset by declines in woven garments.

Among emerging markets, exports dropped sharply to Russia (-26.6%), Turkey (-25.8%), Mexico (-18.7%), South Korea (-12.8%), and India (-10.4%). Conversely, exports increased to China (+29.8%), Saudi Arabia (+22.8%), UAE (+12.9%), Malaysia (+12.2%), and South Africa (+7.0%). Experts emphasize the need for market diversification to sustain export growth.

Overall, Bangladesh’s RMG exports during this period totaled $19,365 million, down 2.63% from the previous year. Analysts attribute the decline to global economic uncertainty, reduced buyer spending, high inflation, and pricing pressures.

BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said, “RMG export growth has been negative for the past few months. New US tariffs have disrupted global markets, impacting even the US, where our exports have taken a significant hit.”