Despite political unrest the country's merchandise shipment to key North American and European destinations increased substantially in the just concluded fiscal year (FY), 2013-14, compared to that in the previous fiscal.
Export earnings from the US, the largest export destination for Bangladesh goods, witnessed a 3.03 per cent growth in last fiscal.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics, exports to the US totaled US$ 5.583 billion in last FY, which was 18.50 per cent of the country's total export earning during the period. The amount was $ 5.419 billion in the previous fiscal (2012-13).
Exports to Germany amounted to $ 4.720 billion in last fiscal, which was 15.64 per cent of the total export earnings. The amount was $ 3.962 billion in the previous year.
The European state maintained its position as the second largest export destination for Bangladeshi products, marking a growth of 19.13 per cent, largely driven by the soaring demand for knitwear garments.
Bangladesh exported knitwear garments worth about $ 2.573 billion to Germany in last fiscal, as against $ 2.168 billion in the previous FY, registering a growth of 18.70 per cent.
Woven garment export amounted to $ 1.803 billion from $ 1.509 billion in the previous year, marking a growth of 19.5 per cent.
According to the statistics, released recently, the United Kingdom (UK) was the third largest importing country of Bangladeshi goods. Bangladesh's export to the UK amounted to $ 2.917 billion last fiscal, which was 9.67 per cent of the total export earnings. The amount was $ 2.764 billion in the previous fiscal.
During the FY 14 Bangladesh exported ready-made garments worth about $ 2.598 billion to the UK as against $ 2.448 billion in the previous fiscal, registering a growth of 6.12 per cent.
Exports to France in last fiscal amounted to $ 1.677 billion, which accounted for 5.56 per cent of the total export earnings. The amount was $ 1.513 billion in the previous year.
Bangladesh exported RMG items worth about $ 1.543 billion to the country in last fiscal as against $ 1.390 billion in the previous year, marking a growth of 11 per cent.
Exports to Spain also showed a positive growth, and stood at $ 1.616 billion during the period that represented 5.36 per cent of the total export, as against $ 1.301 billion in the previous year.
Exports to Italy also showed a positive growth, and totaled $ 1.332 billion in last fiscal, representing 4.42 per cent of the total export. The amount was $ 1.036 billion in the previous year.
Bangladesh exported goods worth about $ 1.099 billion to Canada in last fiscal, which was about 3.64 per cent of the total export. The amount was $ 1.090 billion in the previous year.
The major items exported to Canada included knitwear ($ 445.10 million), woven garments ($ 556.87 million), home textile and Terri towel.
Exports to Belgium, the eighth largest importing country of Bangladeshi goods, amounted to $ 970 million, representing 3.22 per cent of the country's total export. The amount was $ 730.81 million last year.
Among the Far-East countries, Japan was the largest importer of Bangladeshi goods in last fiscal, worth about $ 862.08 million, as against $ 750.26 million in the previous year.
Bangladesh exported woven garments worth about $ 318.92 million and knitwear garments worth about $ 253.35 million to the country in last fiscal.
Bangladesh's export to India was the highest among the SAARC countries in last fiscal, amounting to $ 456.633 million, as against $ 563.960 million in the previous year. The amount was $ 498.42 million in 2011-12.
Among the Asian region, ASEAN countries and Middle-East, exports to China amounted to $ 746.198 million in last fiscal as against $ 458.12 million in the previous year, marking a growth of 62.88 per cent, mainly due to high export of RMG items.
China, the largest apparel exporter, is outsourcing its RMG products from Bangladesh and other low-cost countries because of high labour cost there. In last fiscal, China imported apparel products worth about $ 241.37 million from Bangladesh, as against $ 139.14 million in the previous fiscal.
Among the Middle-Eastern countries, exports to the United Arab Emirates totaled $ 245.347 million as against $ 251.246 million in the previous year, and to Singapore $ 135.862 million as against $ 155.999 million in the previous year.
