Garment Exports Rise 6.10% in Three Months
Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) exports reached $10.58 billion during the first quarter (July-September) of the 2026-27 fiscal year, marking a 6.10% year-on-year growth compared to $9.97 billion recorded in the same period last year. According to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), knitwear garments generated $5.96 billion with a 6.88% growth rate, up from $5.58 billion previously. Meanwhile, woven garment exports rose by 5.11% to reach $4.61 billion, up from $4.39 billion in the corresponding period of FY 2025-26.
The export performance exhibited significant variation across individual months within the first quarter. RMG exports faced a minor setback in July, dropping by 1.92% to $3.89 billion compared to $3.96 billion recorded in July of the previous year. During that month, knitwear exports declined by 0.90%, while woven garment exports dropped by 3.16%. Official data indicates that this negative trajectory was short-lived as shipments quickly recovered and shifted back into positive growth territory in the following months.
A strong rebound occurred in August as total garment export revenues surged by 13.92% year-on-year to reach $3.61 billion, compared to $3.16 billion recorded in August last year. Both apparel segments experienced double-digit growth during this recovery month, with knitwear garment exports rising by 14.88% and woven garment exports jumping by 12.70%. This sharp recovery effectively neutralized the initial losses recorded in July and set a strong positive momentum for the overall quarterly performance.
The upward trajectory sustained through September, where total RMG export earnings reached $3.08 billion, representing an 8.56% year-on-year growth over last year’s September earnings of $2.84 billion. Knitwear exports for the month increased by 8.58% to yield $1.77 billion compared to $1.63 billion previously, while woven exports reached $1.31 billion, posting an 8.54% growth over $1.21 billion recorded in September last year, successfully securing the first quarter’s overall expansion.
