US, UK and Canada Drive Growth in Bangladesh Garment Exports Despite Overall Decline

Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) exports to the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada increased during the 2025-26 fiscal year, helping offset weaker demand in the European Union and other non-traditional markets.

According to the latest data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh earned $38.70 billion from garment exports during the fiscal year. However, total apparel exports declined by 1.64 percent compared with the previous year due to falling shipments to key European and emerging markets.

Exports to the United States rose 2.63 percent to $7.74 billion, increasing the country’s share of Bangladesh’s total garment exports to 20.01 percent from 19.18 percent a year earlier.

Shipments to the United Kingdom increased 0.91 percent to $4.39 billion, while exports to Canada climbed 3.20 percent to $1.34 billion. Together, the three markets accounted for more than 35 percent of Bangladesh’s total garment exports during the fiscal year.

Despite the gains, exports to the European Union, Bangladesh’s largest apparel market, fell 3.31 percent to $19.60 billion. The EU’s share of total garment exports also declined to 49.25 percent from 50.10 percent in the previous fiscal year.

Exports to non-traditional markets, including Japan, Australia, Russia, Türkiye and Gulf countries, also dropped 4.25 percent to $6.16 billion, reducing their share of total exports to 15.93 percent.

Product-wise, knitwear exports declined 2.53 percent, while woven garment exports performed comparatively better, recording a marginal decline of 0.61 percent.

Industry stakeholders said the positive growth in the U.S., U.K. and Canadian markets is encouraging, but stressed that Bangladesh needs to strengthen market diversification, attract new buyers and improve competitiveness to address declining demand in Europe and other emerging export destinations.