Bangladesh’s merchandise exports recorded a strong recovery in August, rising 13.14% year-on-year to $4.43 billion, as shipments of ready-made garments (RMG) and several non-garment products posted significant growth.
According to the latest data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), export earnings stood at $3.92 billion in August 2025.
The August performance also helped lift cumulative export earnings for the first two months of FY2026-27 to $9.16 billion, up 5.43% from $8.69 billion recorded during the same period a year earlier.
The apparel sector continued to dominate the country’s export earnings. RMG exports rose 13.92% to $3.89 billion in August, while total garment shipments during July-August increased 5.12% to $7.50 billion.
Within the garment sector, knitwear exports grew 14.88% in August, while woven garment shipments increased 12.70%. For the first two months of the fiscal year, knitwear exports rose 6.17% and woven garment exports grew 3.81%.
The export performance was not limited to garments, with several non-RMG sectors registering substantial gains.
Jute and jute goods led the growth, with exports increasing 37.09% in August. Pharmaceutical exports rose 28.52%, while leather and leather goods increased 24.85%. Exports of printed materials and engineering products grew 24.83% and 23.88%, respectively, while other footwear exports rose 15.29%.
During July-August, printed materials recorded the highest growth among the major non-RMG sectors, increasing 41.89%. Pharmaceutical exports climbed 38.94%, other footwear 27.32% and jute and jute goods 22.26%.
Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the sharp growth in August should partly be viewed against a relatively weak base from the previous year.
He noted that exports to the United States declined by around 3% in August last year, while shipments to European markets dropped 10.43%, partly due to the impact of US reciprocal tariffs.
Babu also pointed out that export earnings in August were approximately $278 million lower than in July, suggesting that the year-on-year increase does not necessarily indicate a month-on-month acceleration.
Nevertheless, he said the sector’s performance reflected the resilience of Bangladesh’s exporters despite the continuing gas supply crisis, elevated interest rates and difficult global trade conditions.
He stressed that maintaining the recovery would require stronger government support, particularly in ensuring reliable energy supplies, reducing interest rates, lowering business costs and improving the overall ease of doing business.
The United States continued to be Bangladesh’s largest export destination, with exports to the market rising 26.09% in August. For July-August, shipments to the US increased 11.90%.
The United Kingdom emerged as the second-largest export market, followed by Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, according to EPB data.
Bangladesh also made significant gains in several emerging markets. Exports to Türkiye jumped 141.03% in August, while shipments to South Korea and Saudi Arabia increased 42.37% and 42.09%, respectively.
The EPB said stronger demand in major markets, growing confidence among international buyers and expanded production capacity contributed to the export growth.
It also pointed to increased shipments of value-added products and ongoing efforts to diversify both products and export destinations as factors supporting the performance.
Despite the positive figures, exporters continue to face an uncertain global trade environment marked by uneven demand, changing sourcing strategies and growing competition from other garment-producing countries.
With RMG still accounting for the overwhelming majority of Bangladesh’s merchandise exports, sustained expansion in pharmaceuticals, jute, leather, footwear, engineering and other non-traditional sectors will remain important for diversifying the country’s export base.
