The European Union, the largest export destination for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry, has seen a sharp decline early this year. The country’s apparel export earnings in the EU market fell significantly over the three months from January to March 2026. The drop in garment exports to EU countries, after the United States, has stirred fresh concern among those in the sector.
According to the latest data from Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency, Bangladesh’s apparel export earnings in the EU fell 19.26% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period a year earlier. Exports came to 459.16 crore euros, against 568.7 crore euros in January-March 2025 — a fall of 109 crore euros over the year. The data show that for the single month of March this year, Bangladesh’s apparel export earnings in the EU fell 19.24% from a year earlier, with exports of 170 crore euros, against 211 crore euros in March 2025 — a drop of about 41 crore euros over the year.
According to the latest data, EU countries imported ready-made garments worth 2,108 crore euros from various countries over the three months, 11.62% less than in the same period last year. In volume terms, garment imports fell 8.32%. EU countries imported 33.2 crore kg of ready-made garments over the three months, against 36.22 crore kg in the same period last year.
Analysis shows multiple factors behind the decline. The two most important are a fall in export volume and a drop in average product prices. The data show Bangladesh’s export volume fell 8.32% in the first three months of this year, while the average price per kilogram of garments fell 11.93% over the same period.
According to those in the sector, nearly half of the country’s total export earnings come from the EU. So a prolonged decline in this market could have a negative impact on the wider economy.
They said shifts in global trade conditions — particularly U.S. policy changes and various trade barriers — have made competing countries more active in the European market. China, India, Vietnam and other exporting countries are making strong efforts to consolidate their positions in this market, intensifying competition further.
China remains at the top of garment exports to the EU, as usual. From January to March it exported garments worth 614.3 crore euros to the region, 7.90% less than in the same period last year, with the price per kilogram of its garments falling 6.95%. Turkey was hit hardest, with export earnings down 18.92%. Most other countries, including India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, also faced declining growth.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report