Bangladesh’s goods exports reached $17.04 billion in the first four months (July-October) of the current fiscal year, up 6 percent from the same period a year earlier, when they stood at $16.08 billion, Bangladesh Bank said.
The central bank said in a press release that the ready-made garment sector made the main contribution to export growth. In this period knitwear exports rose 7 percent to $7.71 billion and woven garment exports rose 4.8 percent to $6.00 billion. Together the two account for about 80.4 percent of total exports, and about 81 percent of the overall growth in exports came from garments.
Several products beyond garments also grew strongly. Jute and jute goods grew 23.8 percent, leather and leather goods 12.7 percent and chemical products 27.3 percent, with exports reaching $383 million, $464 million and $157 million respectively. Home textile and footwear exports rose 7.4 percent and 9.7 percent respectively.
Exports of agricultural products, frozen and live fish, and cotton and cotton goods fell 13.5 percent, 10.9 percent and 10.2 percent respectively.
Bangladesh Bank said that, along with positive overall export growth, several non-garment sectors show potential to expand. To keep up the trend, it said, the focus should be on improving product quality and competitiveness, opening new markets, and identifying and removing the obstacles facing sectors that are lagging.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report