Bangladesh’s export earnings dropped by 4.61% in September of the current fiscal year, amounting to $3,627.58 million, compared to over $3.8 billion in the same month last year. This marks a decline of more than $170 million year-on-year.
According to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the primary reason behind the overall decline is the drop in ready-made garment (RMG) exports, which fell by nearly 6%. RMG exports for September stood at $2.84 billion, down from $3.01 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year.
Despite the monthly decline, exports in the first quarter (July–September) of FY 2025–26 showed an overall growth of 4.79%, reaching a total of $9.97 billion. This growth was driven by a strong performance in July, when exports surged by 25%, though this was partially offset by a 3% dip in August.
In the July–September period, the knitwear sector exported $5.58 billion (up 4.31%) while the woven sector earned $4.39 billion (up 5.41%).
However, September alone showed alarming figures, with knitwear exports dropping to $1.63 billion (a 5.75% decrease) and woven exports falling to $1.21 billion (down 5.54%) compared to the same month last year. The sharp decline in garment exports during September has significantly impacted the country’s overall export earnings, raising concerns over the sustainability of the recent upward trend.
