Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh’s merchandise exports grew by 9.83 per cent year-on-year in the first ten months (July-April) of the 2024-25 financial year, largely driven by continued growth in the readymade garment (RMG) sector, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Monday.
During the July-April period, the country exported goods worth US$40.20 billion, up from US$36.61 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year.
Of this, the apparel sector remained the largest contributor, generating US$32.64 billion in export earnings-an increase of 10 per cent year-on-year.
Despite the overall positive trend, April recorded the lowest monthly export earnings of the fiscal year, with shipments totalling US$3.01 billion-an increase of just 0.86 per cent compared to US$2.99 billion in April 2024.
RMG exports in the month rose by a marginal 0.44 per cent to US$2.40 billion from US$2.38 billion the previous year.
Industry insiders attributed the subdued April performance to extended factory closures during the Eid holidays and ongoing gas supply disruptions, which hampered industrial operations.
The previous lowest monthly export figure for the current fiscal was in September, when exports totalled US$3.52 billion.
In contrast, March 2025 saw robust export earnings of US$4.25 billion, reflecting an 11.44 per cent year-on-year increase from US$3.81 billion in March 2024.
February 2025 also posted positive growth, with exports reaching US$3.97 billion-up 2.77 per cent from US$3.86 billion the previous year.
In January, the country exported goods worth US$4.43 billion, compared to US$4.19 billion in January 2024.
The government has set an ambitious export target of US$50 billion for FY25, which represents a projected growth of 12.44 per cent over the previous fiscal year.
