Dhaka:Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) exports saw a 5.82 percent increase year-on-year, reaching $13.75 billion in the first four months of FY2026-27. This growth is compared to $12.99 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
According to United News of Bangladesh, knitwear exports performed better than woven garments in the July-October period, with an increase of 6.79 percent to $7.73 billion. In contrast, woven exports rose by 4.60 percent to $6.02 billion. Knitwear accounted for 56.2 percent of the country's total RMG exports.
The increase in total garment exports by $756 million was significantly supported by the United States market, which contributed the largest share of this growth. Exports to the US increased by 10.16 percent to $2.85 billion, accounting for 20.73 percent of Bangladesh's total RMG exports. The European Union remained the largest destination for these products, with exports rising to $6.43 billion, although its share of total exports decreased slightly.
In the European Union, Spain became the largest single market, with a 13.36 percent increase in exports to $1.448 billion, surpassing Germany. Other notable EU markets included the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, all of which saw growth in Bangladeshi garment imports.
The United Kingdom also experienced an increase in imports from Bangladesh, rising 6.92 percent to $1.64 billion, driven by a significant increase in knitwear shipments. Meanwhile, Canadian imports grew by 2.41 percent to $452.9 million.
Bangladesh's exports to non-traditional markets grew by 9.30 percent to $2.37 billion. Turkey showed the highest growth among these markets, with exports more than doubling, primarily driven by a surge in knitwear shipments. Japan remained the largest non-traditional market for Bangladesh, with a 2.40 percent rise in exports.
Despite this growth in non-traditional markets, the combined share of the European Union and the United States in Bangladesh's total RMG exports was 67.5 percent, a slight decline from the previous year's 68.1 percent. This decline reflects a gradual diversification of export destinations, as non-traditional markets grow at a faster rate compared to the EU.