United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh's apparel exports to the United States posted a remarkable 21.6 percent growth during the January-May 2025 period. According to the latest data, US imports of Bangladeshi apparel totalled $3.53 billion, marking a robust increase compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, US apparel imports recorded a modest rise during January-May 2025, amounting to $31.70 billion, up 7.06 percent year-on-year. These figures were released by the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), which is responsible for industry analysis, trade promotion, and addressing trade barriers. OTEXA also works in coordination with other units of the US Department of Commerce and various federal agencies to enhance US competitiveness both at home and abroad. Key Insights on Apparel Imports (January–May 2025) Here's how other major apparel-exporting countries performed in the US market during this five-month period: ·         China: Experienced a negative growth of -10.02 percent. ·         India: Registered a significant increase of 16.96 percent. ·         Pakistan: Exports rose by 21.58 percent. ·         Indonesia: Recorded a 13.55 percent rise in exports. ·         Cambodia: Saw exports increase by 17.65 percent. ·         Vietnam: Achieved a growth of 16.33 percent. Bangladesh holds 2nd spot in apparel export as Vietnam gains ground Volume of Pieces Imported In terms of quantity, the import trends were as follows: ·         Bangladesh: Witnessed a 21.03 percent surge. ·         Vietnam: Recorded a 12.43 percent increase. ·         China: Saw a significant decline of -9.18 percent. ·         India: Achieved a notable 16.83 percent rise. ·         Cambodia: Posted a 22.80 percent increase. ·         Pakistan: Registered the highest growth at 25.65 percent. Unit Price Per Piece Variations The changes in average unit price per piece from various countries were: ·         Bangladesh: Saw a 0.47 percent increase. ·         Vietnam: Registered a 3.47 percent increase. ·         China: Declined by -0.93 percent. ·         India: Noted a marginal increase of 0.11 percent. ·         Cambodia: Decreased by -4.19 percent. ·         Pakistan: Fell by -3.24 percent. These insights reflect the evolving dynamics of global apparel trade. While Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan continue to expand their presence in the US market in terms of both value and volume, most of these countries—except Vietnam—are grappling with pricing pressures on a per-unit basis. Commenting on the development, Mohiuddin Rubel, Managing Director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and former director of BGMEA, told UNB that Bangladesh's exports are continuing to grow in the US market despite ongoing challenges.

A delegation comprising high officials of different ministries of the Nigerian government paid a visit to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan in Dhaka Monday (January 16, 2023). The delegation included Abubakar Aliyu Aziz, director general of the National Identity Management Commission, MaskaUbale Ahmed Shehi, executive commissioner of the Communications Commission, Alhassan Haru, director of Communications Commission, and Roberts Moses Achanya, president of the Nigeria-Bangladesh Trade and Technology Forum. BGMEA Director Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association Vice-President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan and Fakir Fashion Managing Director Fakir Kamruzzaman Nahid were also present. Read more: Bangladesh, Nigeria to explore possibility of signing framework agreement on FTA or PTA They had discussions about possible areas of collaboration between Bangladesh and Nigeria for bilateral trade benefits, particularly in the apparel and textile industry. Faruque said there is potential to import more cotton from Nigeria which is a cotton-producing nation. "Nigeria is also a potential market for Bangladesh's apparel export." He called upon the Nigerian government to reduce import duty on readymade garments (RMG) from Bangladesh and requested cooperation from the delegation in this regard. Read More: Bangladesh, Nigeria to explore possibility of signing framework agreement on FTA or PTA