BM Desk: Bangladesh has emerged as the second-largest exporter of value-added products to the United States, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released on Friday (October 24). Cambodia topped the list, while Vietnam ranked third.

The IMF report stated that Cambodia leads in increasing value-added exports to the U.S. market, with 21% growth, followed by Bangladesh with 20%, and Vietnam with 10%. However, major exporters to the U.S.—including Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan—have lagged behind in this category.

According to the IMF, the U.S. market remains highly competitive, driven by policy support, labor market development, improved living standards for workers, and higher value addition in export products. Countries that manage to enhance the value-added share of their exports to the U.S. can expand their export volumes. As a result, a form of competition has developed among exporting nations to increase value addition, with Cambodia taking the greatest advantage of this opportunity.

The report also noted that among Bangladesh’s value-added exports, ready-made garments (RMG) account for the largest share, followed by leather goods and handicrafts. The value-added share of these products from Bangladesh has been rising, which has contributed to the country’s export growth in the U.S. market.