[🇧🇩] Textile & RMG Industry of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Bangladesh retains second largest RMG exporter ranking amid modest growth

The global apparel market expanded to $557.50 billion in 2024, reflecting a 7.08 per cent year-on-year growth from $520.62 billion, according to the latest data released by the World Trade Organization (WTO). This rebound signals a continued recovery in global demand despite ongoing geopolitical te

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Apparel market grows to $557.50 billion
Bangladesh retains second largest RMG exporter ranking amid modest growth

Jasim Uddin
Published :
Jul 08, 2025 11:31
Updated :
Jul 08, 2025 11:31

The global apparel market expanded to $557.50 billion in 2024, reflecting a 7.08 per cent year-on-year growth from $520.62 billion, according to the latest data released by the World Trade Organization (WTO). This rebound signals a continued recovery in global demand despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, rising production costs, and lingering post-pandemic challenges.

China holds the lead, Bangladesh remains in the second place

China retained its position as the world’s leading apparel exporter, registering $165.24 billion in exports—up slightly by 0.30 per cent. Bangladesh held firmly to the second spot with export earnings of $38.48 billion, though its growth remained modest at 0.21 per cent.

Vietnam strengthened its position as a formidable competitor in the global apparel landscape. It posted the highest growth among the top exporters at 9.34 per cent, reaching $33.94 billion in apparel exports.

Other major exporters show mixed trends

Turkey reported exports worth $17.91 billion, while India stood at $16.36 billion. Cambodia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the United States recorded apparel exports of $9.89 billion, $9.28 billion, $8.73 billion, and $7.00 billion, respectively.

Export growth across these countries varied significantly, ranging from a sharp 24.19 per cent rise to a contraction of 4.42 per cent, underlining the shifting dynamics of global sourcing, reshoring trends, and trade policy uncertainties.

Market share by the country

China accounted for the largest share of global apparel exports at 29.64 per cent, followed by Bangladesh with a 6.90 per cent share.

However, china has 31.64 per cent and Bangladesh holds 7.38 per cent shares in 2023.

Vietnam increased to 6.09 per cent from 5.96 per cent, while Turkey and India held 3.21 per cent and 2.94 per cent shares respectively.

Among other top exporters countries- Cambodia held 1.77 per cent share, Pakistan (1.66 per cent), Indonesia (1.57 per cent), and the USA (1.26 per cent) rounded out the top contributors.

Bangladesh’s challenges and opportunities

Commenting on the data, Mohiuddin Rubel, Former Director of BGMEA and Managing Director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, said, “While Bangladesh remains the second-largest apparel exporter globally, the negligible growth in 2024 signals the need for strategic reforms and diversification. Our competitiveness is being tested not only by Vietnam’s dynamic growth but also by the evolving demands of buyers and heightened sustainability expectations.”

He said that Bangladesh must invest in innovation, technology, upskilling, and climate resilience to retain its competitive edge in a rapidly transforming global supply chain.

Despite global headwinds, the apparel trade is showing resilience. However, rising inflation in key markets, shifting sourcing preferences, and regulatory compliance, particularly in sustainability and due diligence, are likely to shape the next phase of industry transformation, he added.

For Bangladesh, maintaining its foothold in traditional markets while exploring opportunities in non-traditional destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Gulf region will be crucial for sustaining growth in the coming years.​

 

[Saif]

Army reaffirms maintaining law and order at garment sector

Bangladesh Army has underscored its commitment to maintaining proper law and order in industrial areas to ensure the continued production of the garment industry since it's the lifelines of the economy.

en.prothomalo.com

Army reaffirms maintaining law and order at garment sector

UNB Dhaka
Published: 08 Jul 2025, 21: 12

Army reaffirms maintaining law and order at garment sector UNB

Bangladesh Army has underscored its commitment to maintaining proper law and order in industrial areas to ensure the continued production of the garment industry since it's the lifelines of the economy.

GOC of the 9th Infantry Division Major General Md. Moin Khan said this during a view exchange meeting on Tuesday between the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Board and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 9th Infantry Division and Area Commander, Savar Area, of the Bangladesh Army.

The discussion at BGMEA Complex in Uttara focused on the security of garment factories, particularly issues related to law and order.

BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan led the BGMEA delegation, while Major General Md Moin Khan of the 9th Infantry Division, led the army's representation.

The GOC further stated that they are considering implementing a new method to solve the jhoot (fabric scraps) problem in the garment sector, suggesting that establishing an auction house for jhut could alleviate this issue for factories.

He expressed hope that entrepreneurs would provide accurate information to assist the army in maintaining stable law and order in the industrial sector.

He also urged BGMEA to encourage entrepreneurs to ensure timely payment of wages and benefits.

Maj Gen Khan reassured business owners that the Bangladesh Army stands with the industry in any unforeseen external incidents that could harm factories.

BGMEA President Hasan praised the Bangladesh Army for its patience and prudence in standing by the people during the critical post-student uprising period, and for their involvement in national reconstruction and economic recovery.

He specifically highlighted the army-led joint forces' cooperation in ensuring industrial security, which enabled the garment industry to survive a catastrophic situation. On behalf of the garment industry, he extended sincere gratitude and thanks to the Bangladesh Army for their continued support.

Among those present at the meeting were BGMEA Senior Vice President Enamul Haq Khan (Bablu), Vice President Md. Rezwan Selim, Vice President (Finance) Mizanur Rahman, Vice President Md. Shihab Uddoja Chowdhury, and several directors.

Also in attendance were the Commander of the 81st Infantry Brigade, Bangladesh Army, Commander of the 9th Artillery Brigade, Md. Abul Kalam Siddique, DIG (Operation & Crime), Industrial Police; Md. Israel Howlader, DIG (Administration & Crime), Industrial Police; and representatives from DGFI and NSI. Various chairmen and managing directors of garment factories also participated in the discussion.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of forming a confederation of various labor federations.

Entrepreneurs at the meeting stated that the industry is being held hostage by "jhoot terrorism" (terrorism related to leftover fabric scraps).

They explained that terrorist groups dominating the jhoot sector are forming juvenile gangs, creating an unstable environment in industrial areas, and harassing both factory owners and workers.

Garment entrepreneurs sought the army's cooperation in resolving these issues.​

 

[Saif]

Swisscontact, BKMEA to drive growth in knitting sector

The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Swisscontact have partnered to foster inclusive and sustainable growth in Bangladesh’s knitwear sector...

www.newagebd.net

Swisscontact, BKMEA to drive growth in knitting sector
Staff Correspondent 10 July, 2025, 23:28

New Age file photo

The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Swisscontact have partnered to foster inclusive and sustainable growth in Bangladesh’s knitwear sector.

In this regard, Akhter Hossain Apurbo, vice-president of BKMEA, and Bidowra Tahmin Khan, team leader, InSPIRE of Swisscontact Bangladesh, signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, said a press release.

This agreement cements cooperation across three of Swisscontact’s flagship initiatives, including PROGRESS (Promoting Green Growth in the RMG Sector through Skills), supported by the Embassy of Sweden and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), InSPIRE (Initiative to Stimulate Private Investment for Resource Efficiency), funded by the Embassy of Sweden to encourage clean energy solutions and greater energy efficiency in the industry, and BYETS (Building Youth Employability through Skills), funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands which equips young people with technical and soft skills in readymade garments.

These initiatives operate across key manufacturing hubs, including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chattogram.

The release also said that the areas of these joint collaborations would include upskilling of women and youth, improved environmental and social standards, promotion of renewable energy adoption and coordinated outreach to strengthen factory-level sustainability and resilience.

The MoU marks a pivotal step in reinforcing sustainability standards in the knitwear industry — a sector that remains a key driver of Bangladesh’s economic growth and global export strength.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh and other Asian garment industries brace for higher US tariffs

Across Asia, unions and industry groups are raising alarms over the impact of higher tariffs by the United States on garment workers. High tariffs might force companies to shut down or move to neighbouring countries that offer lower tariff rates, resulting in a loss of jobs, they say. “The

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh and other Asian garment industries brace for higher US tariffs

REUTERS
Published :
Jul 11, 2025 21:47
Updated :
Jul 11, 2025 21:47

Workers sew garments inside the sewing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Apr 19, 2025. Photo : REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora

Across Asia, unions and industry groups are raising alarms over the impact of higher tariffs by the United States on garment workers.

High tariffs might force companies to shut down or move to neighbouring countries that offer lower tariff rates, resulting in a loss of jobs, they say.

“The potential loss of jobs will cut the income and ability for workers to sustain their daily lives,” said Ath Thorn, vice president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union, which represents 80,000 workers across 40 factories.

Several countries in Asia have received notice of new tariff rates imposed by the United States to take effect Aug 1, after a 90-day pause on tariffs came to an end.

Manufacturing hubs such as Bangladesh and Cambodia will face high tariffs of 35 percent and 36 percent, respectively, while neighbouring countries are still negotiating with the US government.

US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs through official letters posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Jul 8.

The US is the largest garment export destination for Bangladesh. The country’s exports to the US totalled $8.4 billion last year, and of that, garments comprised $7.34 billion.

Also in 2024, Cambodia exported nearly $10 billion worth of goods to the US, which accounted for nearly 40 percent of the nation’s total exports, according to government customs statistics.

More than half of US imports from Cambodia were garments, footwear and travel goods such as luggage and handbags, a sector that makes up nearly half of the country’s export revenue and employs more than 900,000 workers.

Unions and industry groups warn that these workers could be hit hard with job losses if the high tariffs force companies to move to countries under lower tariff rates or shut down altogether.

While Cambodia is looking at a tariff rate reduction from 49 percent in April, anxiety permeates its garment industry, which employs hundreds of thousands of people and is one of the developing nation’s key economic pillars.

Meanwhile, the US and Vietnam have struck a trade agreement that sets 20 percent tariffs on Vietnamese goods.

With a neighbour next door with a significantly lower tariff, many companies may choose to leave Cambodia, said Yang Sophorn, president of the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions, which represents thousands of women who support their families as garment workers.

The fear is echoed by experts in Bangladesh, which faces a 35 percent tariff.

Selim Raihan, a professor of economics at the Dhaka University, said if tariff rates on Bangladesh’s competitors like India, Indonesia and Vietnam prove to be lower, Bangladesh would face a serious competitive disadvantage.

Such a disadvantage could make supply chain decision-making more difficult and erode the confidence of buyers and investors, Raihan said.

“As production costs rise and profit margins shrink due to the tariff, many garment factories may be forced to scale back operations or shut down entirely,” Raihan said.

In Bangladesh, the 35 percent tariff announced by the US is more than twice the current 15 percent rate on Bangladeshi goods.

“With more than doubling tariff rates, can you imagine how the cost of the products will rise?” asked Mohiuddun Rubel, a former director of Bangladesh’s garment manufacturers’ association BGMEA and now additional managing director at textile maker Denim Expert Ltd.

The question is what happens to the tariffs for main competitor countries like India and Pakistan, said Rubel.

The US is negotiating a trade deal with India, while reciprocal tariff rates for Pakistan have not been announced yet.

OUTSIZED EFFECT ON WOMEN

Potential layoffs within the garment industry will have an outsized effect on women workers, which Sophorn said would cripple entire families.

“If these women lose their jobs because high tariffs force factories to shut, it will not only impact Cambodia’s economy, but now children may not be able to go to school and ageing parents may not be able to afford medicine,” Sophorn said.

“The situation for women garment workers is already bad, but it will get worse if these tariffs were to come into effect”.

Many of the women she represents have taken bank loans to support their families and work in the garment industry to pay off their debts.

“If they lose their job, it means they will lose everything,” Sophorn said.

Tariffs would directly affect a sizable chunk of the four million workers in Bangladeshi’s garment industry, most of whom are women from low income and rural backgrounds, Raihan said.

Thorn suggested that Cambodia continue negotiations to get the tariffs down or find other ways to export more products, generate more income and create more work.

“If not, we will face problems,” he said.​

 

[Saif]

RMG exports notch 8.84pc growth in FY25

The exports of Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment (RMG) showed a healthy growth of 8.84 per cent in the last fiscal year (FY25), fetching $39.35 billion despite global headwinds. According to the country-wise export data for Bangladesh for the last fiscal year (FY25) released by the Export Promotion B

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

RMG exports notch 8.84pc growth in FY25

Published :
Jul 12, 2025 21:08
Updated :
Jul 12, 2025 21:08

The exports of Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment (RMG) showed a healthy growth of 8.84 per cent in the last fiscal year (FY25), fetching $39.35 billion despite global headwinds.

According to the country-wise export data for Bangladesh for the last fiscal year (FY25) released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the European Union (EU) was a key market, accounting for 50.10 per cent of Bangladesh’s total RMG exports, valued at $19.71 billion, BSS reports.

Exports to the United States were $7.54 billion (19.18 per cent), while Canada and the UK contributed $1.30 billion (3.31 per cent) and $4.35 billion (11.05 per cent), respectively.

Year-over-year growth in Bangladeshi RMG exports showed increases of 9.10 per cent for the EU, the USA 13.79 per cent, and Canada 12.07 per cent.

The country’s RMG exports to UK saw a modest growth of 3.68 per cent in FY25. In the EU, Germany was the largest market for RMG, with exports at $4.95 billion, followed by Spain $3.40 billion, France $2.16 billion, Netherlands $2.09 billion, Poland $1.70 billion, Italy $1.54 billion and Denmark $1.04 billion.

Even, growth rates were high in several EU countries, such as the Netherlands (21.21 per cent), Sweden (16.41 per cent), Poland (9.77 per cent) and Germany (9.47 per cent).

Bangladesh's RMG exports also saw a 5.61 per cent rise in non-traditional markets, totalling $6.44 billio,n with a 16.36 per cent market share for Bangladesh.

Japan, Australia, and India were the leading markets in this category, with country’s RMG exports to Turkey seeing 25.62 per cent, India 17.39 per cent, and Japan 9.13 per cent growth rate. However, Bangladeshi apparel exports to Russia, Korea, the UAE, and Malaysia have declined.

In the apparel industry, the knitwear sector has shown a remarkable growth of 9.73 per cent, with the woven sector also experiencing an increase of 7.82 per cent.

Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, industry insiders said that the global landscape has taken unexpected turns, presenting the country with a cascade of new challenges each day with new issues.

In the realm of traditional markets, Bangladesh’s export performance remains robust, boasting an impressive 84 per cent share of the total apparel exports.

However, the non-traditional market tells a different story, with the current stake standing at a modest 16 per cent.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) reports that the global apparel market reached approximately $500 billion in 2024. Within this, the nontraditional market accounted for about $150 billion.

Bangladesh, holding a 6 per cent share of the nontraditional market, shows significant potential for expansion.

In 2024, Bangladesh contributed 5.50 per cent to Japan's total imports and 11.53 per cent to Australia's total imports, indicating a promising trajectory for growth.​