LATEST
LPG shortage disrupts life in Madhukhali Tigers to play a Tri-Nation series After 7yrs President urges China to back Teesta project, Rohingya return Transactions surge nearly five-fold in value Gas crisis hampers fertiliser production Furnace oil price hiked to Tk 108.78 Mirpur hawkers clash with police Rate unchanged amid high inflation risk Govt goes hard on lawlessness UNHCR seeks global support to end Myanmar hostilities
Skip to content

Friday | October 02, 2026 | Dhaka

Bangladesh’s merchandise exports grow 6.34pc in Q1

 Business Report
 Published: 12:01 AM, 02 October 2026

Bangladesh’s merchandise exports grew by 6.34 percent in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year 2026-27, fetching $13,094.13 million compared to $12,313.17 million recorded in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Official data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) shows that export earnings in September 2026 alone expanded by 8.54 percent year-on-year to reach $3,937.23 million, up from $3,627.58 million in September 2025.

The readymade garment (RMG) sector continued to serve as the primary engine of export growth, generating $10,578.56 million (USD 10.58 billion) during the first quarter a 6.10 percent increase over the $9,970.42 million (USD 9.97 billion) earned in the same period of FY 2025-26.

Within the RMG basket, knitwear shipments rose 6.88 percent to $5,963.76 million (USD 5.96 billion), while woven garment exports grew 5.11 percent to $4,614.80 million (USD 4.61 billion).

Monthly figures for September highlight accelerated momentum in apparel shipments, which climbed 8.56 percent year-on-year to $3,082.95 million (USD 3.08 billion) from $2,839.75 million (USD 2.84 billion) in September 2025.

During the month, knitwear exports grew 8.58 percent to USD 1.77 billion, and woven garment shipments increased by 8.54 percent to USD 1.31 billion. Beyond garments, several non-RMG categories recorded strong performances during the July-September quarter.

Pharmaceuticals posted a significant 40.39 percent expansion in Q1, backed by a 64.33 percent year-on-year surge in September.

Jute and jute goods exports jumped by 31.55 percent, light engineering goods grew by 16.51 percent, leather and leather products rose by 14.74 percent, and home textiles increased by 11.94 percent. Conversely, agricultural products and frozen and live fish registered negative growth.

Destination-wise, the United States maintained its position as Bangladesh’s largest export market, with total shipments increasing by 11.34 percent to $2,591.64 million from $2,327.77 million in Q1 of the previous fiscal year.

The United Kingdom ranked second at $1,370.02 million, followed by Germany at $1,218.99 million.
Among emerging markets, exports to Türkiye more than doubled, surging 100.11 percent to $210.54 million from $105.21 million.

India and Japan held their places among the top trading partners, ranking sixth and ninth, respectively.

EPB officials noted that the quarterly metrics reflect the core resilience of the national export sector, while emphasizing that sustained long-term growth will require continuous market expansion, product upgrading, and improved trade facilitation.