RMG export to US: Bangladesh tops with 26.6pc rise

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh has emerged as the fastest-growing apparel exporter to the United States in the first quarter of 2025, recording the highest year-on-year growth among its global competitors.

According to data released by the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), Bangladesh exported garments worth $2.22 billion to the US between January and March this year – a 26.64 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The United States remains Bangladesh’s single largest export destination, accounting for 17 per cent of the country’s total exports in the last fiscal year, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). Ready-made garments (RMG) comprise approximately 87 per cent of Bangladesh’s total exports to the US.

This strong performance has placed Bangladesh ahead of other major exporters to the US. India followed with a 24.04 per cent increase in exports, while Pakistan, Vietnam, and China posted growth of 17.49 per cent, 13.96 per cent, and 4.18 per cent respectively.

In total, the US imported $20.05 billion worth of apparel globally during the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a 10.95 per cent rise year-on-year.

Bangladesh also experienced a 25.24 per cent rise in shipment volume, suggesting both growing demand and enhanced production capacity. India led in volume growth at 27.17 per cent, followed by Pakistan (19.94 per cent), Vietnam (9.14 per cent), and China (2.30 per cent).

In terms of unit price, Vietnam posted the highest increase at 4.42 per cent, followed by China (1.83 per cent) and Bangladesh (1.12 per cent). India and Pakistan saw price declines of -2.46 per cent and -2.04 per cent, respectively.

Asif Ashraf, Managing Director of Urmi Group – one of Bangladesh’s leading apparel exporters – attributed the robust growth to a shift toward value-added products.

“The modest increase in unit prices indicates that we are shipping more sophisticated garments to the US,” Ashraf said. He cautioned, however, that future growth may be affected by recent tariff hikes under the Trump administration.

“While Bangladesh could benefit from sustained high tariffs on Chinese products, if these tariffs begin to erode American consumers’ purchasing power, overall demand – including for Bangladeshi exports – may decline,” he added.

Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), noted that China’s export growth to the US lagged behind the overall rise in American apparel imports.

“This suggests that Bangladesh has captured a portion of the market that China is losing,” he said.

However, Rubel warned against complacency, pointing to the uncertainties surrounding US trade policy.

“The tariff environment under the Trump administration remains fluid. It’s too early to determine how sustainable this momentum will be,” he noted.