TDS Desk:

Bangladesh’s apparel exports have posted strong double-digit growth in both the US and European markets during the first five months of 2025, defying global headwinds and tariff uncertainties.

From January to May, exports of readymade garments (RMG) to the United States surged by 21.6 percent compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), an agency under the US Department of Commerce.

During the same period, garment shipments to European countries grew by 17.6 percent, as reported by Eurostat.

The US export performance comes at a time when Dhaka and Washington are locked in negotiations over additional tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration — levies that remain in place despite Bangladesh’s loss of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) benefits.

The US continues to be Bangladesh’s largest single destination for apparel exports, with annual shipments valued at around $8 billion.

According to OTEXA, Bangladesh exported $3.53 billion worth of garments to the US market between January and May this year, up from $2.90 billion during the same period in 2024.

The year-on-year rise amounts to $627.2 million, or 21.6 percent.

Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and deputy managing director of Denim Expert Limited, “The garments we produce for the US market cannot be easily replaced by others.

“That is why Bangladesh’s market has grown despite losing GSP benefits.”

“The impact of the new tariffs is still unclear,” he added. “We hope the government adopts policies to expand other markets while maintaining the current one.

“That way, we can retain existing markets and increase exports to new ones.”

Europe, another key market for Bangladesh’s apparel sector, also showed strong growth.

Eurostat, which tracks exports to European countries, reported that Bangladesh’s garment exports to Europe reached $9.68 billion in the first five months of 2025 — up from $8.23 billion a year earlier.

This marks a year-on-year increase of $1.44 billion, or 17.62 percent.

Eurostat also reported a 15.08 percent rise in unit prices for garments exported to Europe compared with last year.

OTEXA data shows garment shipments to the US increased by 21 percent in terms of quantity, while unit prices rose by 0.47 percent.

Globally, US garment imports grew by 7 percent in the first five months of the year.

Among Bangladesh’s competitors in the US market during this period, Vietnam’s apparel exports grew by 16.33 percent, India’s by 16.96 percent, Indonesia’s by 13.55 percent, and Pakistan’s by 21.58 percent.

Meanwhile, China’s garment exports to the US declined by 10 percent.

Across Europe, the average export growth for all countries stood at 11.9 percent in the first five months of the year.

Among major exporting countries, China logged a 20.86 percent rise, India 16.39 percent, Cambodia 28.64 percent, Vietnam 15.63 percent, and Pakistan 19 percent.