Bangladesh's merchandise-export earnings posted an 11.68-percent growth to US$28.97 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year, with a January downturn.
However, a leading exporter sees a silver lining over emergent global 'trade wars' following a regime change in the economic superpower-the United States.
According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data released on Monday, the country's export earnings were US $25.94 billion during the July-January period of last fiscal year.
The single-month export earnings in January 2025 also showed a 5.70 per cent year-on-year rise to US$4.44 billion compared to US$4.2 billion in January 2024, EPB data revealed.
However, the new format of data processing devised through the correction of past trade arithmetic didn't show the period's target.
Readymade garment (RMG) items, as usual, overwhelmingly dominated the export earnings by recording a 12.00-percent growth in the July-January period.
The sector fetched US$23.55 billion against $21.03 billion during the corresponding period.
Knitwear subsector bagged US$$12.68 billion in a 12.03-percent growth while woven garments saw an 11.97-percent increase to US$10.86 billion in the last July-January period.
In January 2025, RMG exports stood at $3.66 billion, marking a growth of 5.57 per cent from the earnings in January 2024.
Meantime, home textiles recorded a 6.22-percent growth to fetch US$493.86 million.
Asked about the performance, Mohiuddin Rubel, a former director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the July-January earnings in the fiscal year 2024-25 were only 1.38-percent higher if compared to the corresponding period's earnings in fiscal 2022-23.
After posting consecutive double-digit growth in four months from September to December, growth in apparel earnings in January'25 slowed to 5.57 per cent.
The knitwear sector posted a relatively higher growth of 6.62 per cent while the woven-garment export grew 4.52 per cent, he said.
"While the growth figures are encouraging, they do not fully reflect the challenges facing the industry, particularly the pressure on prices and costs," says Mr Rubel, also additional managing director of Denim Expert Ltd.
The garment-maker, however, stresses further analysis to identify the specific factors influencing this trend, such as market-specific performance, product-and market concentration, and other variables.
The global trade is estimated to have shrunk significantly last year, leading to intense price competition, he says, but foresees some opportunities for Bangladesh's RMG sector out of looming trade wars, reportedly stoked by steep tariff hikes by the new presidency of 'corporate America'.
"However, several priorities need to be addressed to support business operations, including energy security and banking-sector stability," he notes.
According to the EPB data, exports of jute and jute goods during the period under review amounted to US$484.31 million, registering a fall of 8.35 per cent.
Earnings from agricultural items like vegetables, fruits and dry foods registered a growth of 10.59 per cent to US$673.84 million during the last seven months.
Export earnings from engineering products increased by 9.03 per cent to $293.47 million.
Frozen and live fish exports increased by 13.19 per cent to $283.54 million.
The country received $669.03 million from the export of leather and leather goods in July-January, registering a growth of 8.08 per cent.
Pharmaceuticals fetched $132.44 million, registering an 11.29-percent export growth.
Exports of footwear other than leather items also increased, by 34.21 per cent to $318.09 million.
The exports of plastic products posted a 24.22-percent growth, reaching $181.79 million.
Bangladesh in the last fiscal year bagged $44.46 billion in earnings from merchandise exports, again riding on readymade garments as potential of other sectors stayed stymied.
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