Exports rebound ending 8-month decline
Bangladesh’s export sector posted a strong recovery in April, ending an eight-month period of decline with nearly 33 per cent year-on-year growth, driven mainly by robust global demand and a sharp rise in ready-made garment (RMG) shipments.
According to the latest data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), export earnings reached US$4.01 billion in April, compared to US$3.02 billion in the same month last year.
Exports also recorded a solid month-on-month increase of 15.20 per cent, rising from US$3.48 billion in March, offering some relief to the country’s external trade outlook after several months of weak performance.
Despite the strong April turnaround, total export earnings during the July–April period of the current fiscal year stood at US$39.40 billion, showing a slight decline of 2.02 per cent compared to US$40.21 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
This suggests that while April’s performance is encouraging, it has not yet fully compensated for the losses recorded earlier in the year.
The ready-made garment sector, which remains the backbone of Bangladesh’s export economy, played the leading role in the rebound.
During the first ten months of the fiscal year, RMG exports reached US$31.72 billion.
In April alone, garment shipments rose sharply to US$3.14 billion from US$2.39 billion a year earlier, reflecting renewed momentum in the sector amid improving international demand.
Bangladesh’s key export destinations also showed strong growth during the period.
Exports to the United States increased by 43.01 per cent year-on-year, while shipments to the United Kingdom rose by 23.46 per cent.
Notably, all of the country’s top 20 export markets recorded positive growth, indicating a broad-based recovery across major destinations.
Performance across other sectors, however, remained mixed.
The leather and leather goods sector maintained steady growth, with exports reaching US$980 million during the July–April period, marking a 5.95 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
In April alone, leather exports stood at US$110 million, registering a strong 35.67 per cent year-on-year rise.
The agro-processed products sector, on the other hand, showed some overall weakness.
Exports from the sector declined by 4.69 per cent year-on-year to US$820 million during the first ten months of the fiscal year.
However, April brought a sharp improvement, with exports increasing by around 65 per cent to US$85.9 million.
Analysts said the earlier slowdown in exports was caused by several factors, including reduced purchase orders linked to the Middle East crisis and disruptions in industrial production resulting from gas and electricity shortages.
These challenges have weighed heavily on export performance in recent months, particularly in sectors dependent on uninterrupted energy supply and stable global demand.
The strong April rebound, however, has raised hopes of a gradual recovery in the external sector, especially if energy supplies improve and demand from major international markets remains stable.
