Bangladesh’s merchandise exports posted robust double-digit growth of nearly 25 per cent year-on-year in July 2025, reaching $4.77 billion, driven largely by the readymade garment (RMG) sector, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data released on Monday.

Of this year’s total, RMG accounted for $3.96 billion, up 24.67 per cent from a year earlier. Within the RMG segment, knitwear exports rose 26.01 per cent to $2.17 billion, while woven garment exports increased 23.08 per cent to $1.78 billion.

The country earned $3.81 billion in July 2024.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Mahmud Hasan Khan attributed the surge partly to a recovery from production and shipment disruptions in July 2024, which followed a period of political unrest and mass protests.

He added that some exporters advanced shipments to meet the 31 July deadline and avoid higher tariffs from the United States.

‘These factors contributed to the unusually strong growth in July compared to last year,’ he said, warning that export growth could slow in August.

On 7 July, US President Donald Trump announced a flat 35 per cent tariff on all Bangladeshi exports, which was reduced to 20 per cent on 1 August.

However, a provision allowed exporters to ship goods to inland container depots by 31 July at the old tariff rate, prompting a rush to dispatch consignments.

Almost all major sectors recorded positive growth in the first month of the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Home textile exports rose 13.24 per cent to $68.08 million, while jute and jute goods increased 4.92 per cent to $55.44 million.

Leather and leather products saw a sharp 29.65 per cent rise to $127.38 million. Agricultural exports grew 12.86 per cent to $90.50 million, while frozen and live fish exports surged 42.71 per cent to $41.20 million, driven by shrimp shipments, which jumped 47.38 per cent to $31.23 million.

Engineering products recorded the highest growth among non-RMG sectors, up 74.45 per cent to $58.23 million. Plastic exports grew 7.41 per cent to $21.16 million.

Bangladesh’s exports reached $48.28 billion in the financial year 2024-25, marking an 8.58 per cent year-on-year increase.