Bangladesh experiences ups and downs in export performance in the first quarter of the current fiscal year with the three-month earnings posting an overall growth of 5.64 per cent to US$12.31 billion, outweighing a monthly fall in September.
The country's merchandise exports recorded a 4.61-percent fall in September year on year, pulled down by a negative growth of the largest foreign-currency earner--readymade garments or RMG.
Last month's receipt was US$3.62 billion, down from US$ 3.80 billion in September 2024, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data released Sunday.
The monthly export decline came for a second consecutive month, after a strong start to the fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 with exports posting robust double-digit growth of around 25 per cent in July, when earnings reached $4.77 billion.
In August, export earnings fell by 2.93 per cent year on year.
Out of the total US$3.62 billion in monthly receipt, RMG fetched US$2.83 billion in a 5.66-percent negative growth compared to that of September 2024 earnings, EPB data revealed.
Within the apparel segment, knitwear exports fell by 5.75 per cent to US$ 1.63 billion, while woven garments decreased by 5.54 per cent to US$1.20 billion.
Notwithstanding the monthly decline, the RMG sector still recorded a 4.79-percent year-on-year growth during the July-September period of FY'26, earning $9.97 billion, up from $9.51billion in the same period last year.
Sources say while the strong performance in July reflects resilience, the slowdown in August and September highlights challenges for Bangladesh's export sector amid fluctuating global demand and evolving market dynamics.
Asked about the export situation, Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), termed the growth 'normal'.
"August to October is the lean period when order flow remained low," he explains.
"And factories, mostly small and medium ones, suffer most when order placement becomes slow or lower."
Talking to The Financial Express, Faisal Samad, director of BGMEA, said there are many factories that are running eight hours a day, indicating that there are shortages of work.
Echoing Mr Samad's view, Mr Haq says factories that are doing business with Australian buyers have the opposite situation because of the season there.
Both leaders, however, say demand from the US has not increased as much as they expected after the 20-percent additional tariff announced for Bangladesh.
Other export sectors showed mixed results.
Home textile exports rose 7.98 per cent during July-September to $206.62 million.
Leather and leather products earned $319.74 million, up 10.60 per cent year-on-year, though leather footwear exports fell by 9.85 per cent in September, reflecting pricing and competitiveness challenges in international markets.
The agricultural sector saw a 1.54-percent growth, with vegetable exports surged 47.62 per cent to $276.57 million during the first three months of the fiscal year.
Jute-and jute-goods exports rose by 3.73 per cent to $192.89 million, while frozen and live fish exports jumped 24.43 per cent to $126.12 million.
Pharmaceutical exports also grew strongly, up 12.08 per cent to $54.54 million.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com
