Bangladesh's apparel export to the United States, its single-largest market, circumvents tariff tempests and records a double-digit growth of18.64 per cent, the highest among major competitors, in the first nine months of 2025.
According to US official count, the exports grew both in terms of value and volume during the January-to-September period of the current calendar year.
Readymade garment exports from Bangladesh during the period singly fetched US$6.42 billion, marking the 18.64-percent growth, according to the data released on December 11 by OTEXA, an affiliate of the US Department of Commerce.
The country had earned US$5.41 billion in the same period of 2024.
During the reporting period, the growth rate also surpassed the global average of 1.74 per cent, placing Bangladesh ahead of main competitors, save Cambodia, though Vietnam sustained top-exporter stand pushing China behind.
During the reporting period, Bangladesh outpaced almost all its major competitors in export growth to the US, its single-largest export destination.
However, exporters say that the OTEXA published the data of September for the shipments made two months back while reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US came into effect on August 7.
And it would take two more months to get "the real picture of US tariff impact when the country might see a downturn in the coming months due to tariff issues".
According to state-owned Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data, published two months ahead of Otexa data, overall RMG exports have already started facing a downtrend for the past four months since August 2025.
Meantime, during the January -to- September period, Bangladesh shipped 2.07 billion square meters of garments, about 19 per cent higher than 1.73 billion square meters sent in the corresponding period of 2024.
America's overall apparel imports during the period stood at US$60.34 billion, up from $59.31 billion in the corresponding period of last year. Vietnam, during the first nine months of 2025, became leading apparel exporter to the US, shipping RMG items worth US$12.74 billion, accounting for about 13.69-percent growth.
China dropped to the second position with US$8.78 billion worth of apparel shipments with a 29.89-percent year-on-year negative growth, highlighting the effects of elevated tariff barriers and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Asked about the industry view, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), says Otexa revealed two-month previous data, meaning September data reflected the shipments made early July and onwards.
To get the picture of US tariff impact, he says, it takes two more months when data would revealed for the shipments of August onwards. "There is still growth on the US market and it might not fall much or continue to grow provided a stable political situation with national election in place which will also bring back the buyers' confidence," the industry owner tells The Financial Express.
He looks to a better tomorrow for business. With improving local situation having a stable political government, Bangladesh would likely to get higher chunk of shifted work orders especially from China, he says.
The BKMEA leader, however, notes that Bangladesh is facing challenges in the EU where the economy is undergoing difficulties while major competitors like China have been focusing on that market due to high US tariffs on China's goods.
Exporters say though Chinese orders have been shifting from the US due to high tariffs, China is increasing its share in the EU market aggressively by offering 'much lower prices' to buyers to offset US market-share decline.
Meantime, India's apparel exports rose by 12.81 per cent to US$4.10 billion during the January-to-September period of 2025.
Indonesia recorded a 13.49 -percent increase in apparel shipments to US$3.59 billion, continuing its steady growth as a supplier to the US market. Cambodia bagged 28.47-percent rise in exports, reaching US$3.57 billion, during the period under consideration.
Pakistan also recorded a growth of 14 per cent to bag US $1.80 billion from the US market.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com
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