Bangladesh’s RMG exports increase amid volatile world market
Despite the world market remained volatile due to long-term war situation in the Middle East and the Ukraine-Russia, Bangladesh’s apparel exports increased.
Sources said, Bangladesh's readymade garments exports increases and reached USD 10.58 billion in July–September of FY 2026–27, up 6.10% from USD 9.97 billion in the same period of FY 2025–26.
Knitwear exports rose 6.88% to USD 5.96 billion, and woven exports rose 5.11% to USD 4.61 billion.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data revealed it on Thursday (1 October).
According to the data of the EPB, apparel exports grew 8.56% , in September alone. It showed that the export increased year-on-year, from USD 2.84 billion in September 2025 to USD 3.08 billion in September 2026. Knitwear exports rose 8.58% to USD 1.77 billion, and woven exports rose 8.54% to USD 1.31 billion.
Stakeholders said, rise in non-traditional market export of the apparel is driven the RMG export surge during the worst and volatile world market due to the war and conflict prevailed in different areas in the globe including Iran and USA-Israel and Ukrain-Russia.
Earlier the data of EPB showed that the country’s apparel exports to non-traditional markets hit a record $642.93 million in August 2026.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh (EPB) data, it was the highest single month record ever recorded, following two years of stagnation in this segment.
The EPB data showed that the monthly average has also risen from $574.38 million in FY2025-26 to $611.60 million so far in FY2026-27.
Non-traditional markets’ share of total exports has grown accordingly, from 15.93% in FY2025-26 to 16.32% in the current fiscal year.
Apart from these, the overall growth in the August also increased.
As per the data of the EPB, Bangladesh’s July-August RMG exports to the USA together brought in $1,612.92 million in FY2026-27, against $1,447.60 million in the same two months last year — up 11.42%.
That two-month total is already 20.8% of last year’s full-year figure of $7,744.61 million.
If the current pace (11.42% YoY) held for all twelve months, FY2026-27 would total roughly $8,629 million, compared to FY2025-26's $7,744.61 million.
The monthly average so far in FY2026-27 stands at $806.46 million, versus $645.38 million as the flat monthly average implied by FY2025-26's full-year figure — running ahead of that benchmark, though driven almost entirely by August's 25.65% jump rather than July's -0.18%.
The country’s non-traditional markets for readymade garment (RMG) exports include all global destinations outside of the European Union, the United States, Canada, and the UK.
The major non-traditional countries where Bangladesh’s apparels exports are on rise are Japan, Australia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Russia, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa.
Exporters stress on policy support
Meanwhile, RMG exporters repeatedly urged the government to ensure policy support for further growth of apparel exporting to boost the country’s economy.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) stressed the government for the Policy support needs for further growth in the sector.
They said the export will be increase more if the government provide the policy supports, the BGMEA and the BKMEA demanded for long.
Export Promotion Bureau data showed that Bangladesh's ready-made garment exports to the world stood at $7,495.61 million in July-August of FY2026-27, up 5.12 percent from $7,130.67 million a year earlier.
The data showed, knitwear grew faster than woven, up 6.17 percent to $4,193.76 million against woven's 3.81 percent rise to $3,301.85 million.