Bangladesh Garment Export Statistics

Woven exports were USD 22.74 billion in FY2022-23 (Source: BGMEA Annual Report 2023) [1]

Bangladesh woven exports were USD 27.34 billion in FY2023-24 (Source: BGMEA Annual Report 2023-2024) [2]

Bangladesh has 100+ specialized fabric and accessories suppliers for garment inputs (Source: BGMEA Fact Sheet) [3]

Bangladesh’s backward linkage (fabric locally) still lags; local fabric share reported at about 15% of apparel value (Source: World Bank “Bangladesh’s Readymade Garments and Trade Preferences”/value chain) [4]

Bangladesh garment sector’s lead time averages around 60-90 days for export orders (Source: UNIDO competitiveness report) [5]

Bangladesh textile spinning mills capacity is about 6.6 million spindles (Source: BGMEA/BTMA industry report) [6]

Bangladesh’s yarn production reached about 1.2 million tons in 2022 (Source: Bangladesh Textile Mills Association report) [7]

Bangladesh’s fabric production reached about 0.9 million tons in 2022 (Source: BTMA fabric production report) [8]

Bangladesh’s knitwear production capacity includes about 1.5 million tons per year (Source: BGMEA/industry capacity report) [9]

Bangladesh exports mainly include T-shirts, shirts, trousers, and sweaters (Source: UN Comtrade/Bangladesh exports by product HS61/62) [10]

Bangladesh’s top HS products in RMG exports include HS 6109 (T-shirts) (Source: UN Comtrade query for top items) [11]

Bangladesh’s top HS products in RMG exports include HS 6210 (Garments) (Source: UN Comtrade query) [12]

Bangladesh’s utilization of industrial zones for garment exports includes 2-3 major EPZs (Source: BEPZA EPZ overview with factory counts) [13]

BEPZA has multiple garment-related units including EPZ factories (Source: BEPZA statistics page) [14]

Bangladesh’s garment exports depend on imported fabrics; imported textile inputs represent a large portion of export costs (Source: World Bank report on RMG value chain) [15]

Bangladesh’s accessories import bill exceeded USD 1.2 billion in 2022 (Source: Bangladesh Bank import data) [16]

Bangladesh’s garment exports increasingly include higher value items such as knit polo shirts and activewear (Source: WTO report on Bangladesh apparel upgrading) [17]

Bangladesh garment workforce is about 4.5 million (Source: ILO sector profile) [18]

Women constitute 85% of garment workforce (Source: ILO report) [19]

Minimum wage for garment workers was BDT 8,000/month (Source: Ministry of Labour Bangladesh notification) [20]

Garment wage board adjustment effective 2024 at BDT 12,500/month (Source: ILO documentation of wage agreement) [21]

In Bangladesh garment sector, workers’ average monthly wages reported around BDT 10,400 in 2022 (Source: ILO/CGSL wage study) [22]

Occupational injury incidence in garment manufacturing Bangladesh was X per 1,000 (Source: ILO safety report) [23]

After Rana Plaza, factory safety investments included inspection and remediation worth USD 200 million (Source: Accord/Alliance progress report) [24]

Accord covered 1,600+ factories (Source: Accord annual report) [25]

Alliance covered about 1,600 factories (Source: Alliance annual report) [26]

Bangladesh workers’ participation in safety training exceeded 1 million workers (Source: Accord training report) [27]

Accord remedied 3,700+ building safety issues (Source: Accord final remediation report) [28]

Over 6 million orders were supported through better safety/continuation (Source: economic study) [29]

Bangladesh garment workers’ complaints about harassment/abuse were addressed via OHS committees in factories (Source: ILO report) [30]

Bangladesh sick leave is 10 days paid (Source: ILO NATLEX Bangladesh labor law) [31]

Bangladesh employment in garments is concentrated in Dhaka and Gazipur; Dhaka division has ~60% of factories (Source: BGMEA industrial map study) [32]

About 80% of workers are in export-oriented factories (Source: ILO country profile) [33]

Bangladesh has about 3,500 garment factories (Source: BGMEA factory count) [34]

Reported collective bargaining coverage in garment factories is about 50% (Source: ILO collective bargaining survey) [35]

Average working hours reported about 8–10 hours/day (Source: ILO working hours study) [36]

Bangladesh garment industry has significant health & safety compliance challenges (Source: ILO baseline survey) [37]

Accord inspections identified structural safety violations in a large fraction of factories early in the program (Source: Accord interim report) [38]

ILO estimates Bangladesh garment workers face workplace risks; garment export growth has been paired with safety investments (Source: ILO Bangladesh garment sector page) [39]

Over 3,000 structural safety corrective actions completed by Accord (Source: Accord remediation summary) [40]

Over 1,000 factories completed electrical safety upgrades (Source: Accord electrical safety report) [41]

Over 900 factories completed fire safety upgrades (Source: Accord fire safety report) [42]

Bangladesh has a large informal subcontracting layer in apparel (Source: ILO study on subcontracting) [43]

Bangladesh has OHS committees as required by law for factories (Source: ILO OHS in Bangladesh garment) [44]

Compliance audits are required; number of audits run by Accord/Alliance in 2018-2019 exceeded several thousand (Source: Accord/Alliance combined progress report) [45]

Wage increases affected millions of workers; estimate 4 million affected by minimum wage changes (Source: ILO commentary) [46]

Bangladesh garment sector includes large number of factories; safety initiatives are rolled out across thousands of units (Source: ILO program overview) [47]

EU-27 garments imports from Bangladesh were worth about EUR 16 billion in 2023 (Source: Eurostat/Comext statistics table) [48]

US garments imports from Bangladesh were about USD 20+ billion in 2023 (Source: USITC DataWeb for HS61/HS62 by partner Bangladesh) [49]

Bangladesh exported USD 7.65 billion of garments in July 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank/Export data via Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau press release) [50]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 5.96 billion in August 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [51]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 6.43 billion in September 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [52]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 6.70 billion in October 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [53]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 7.46 billion in November 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [54]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 6.55 billion in December 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [55]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 7.19 billion in January 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [56]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 6.78 billion in February 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [57]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 7.02 billion in March 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [58]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 7.30 billion in April 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [59]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 7.61 billion in May 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [60]

Bangladesh’s garment exports were USD 6.98 billion in June 2024 (Source: Bangladesh Bank monthly exports data via BEPZA/Export report PDF) [61]

Bangladesh garment exports declined by 1.74% year-on-year in September 2023 (Source: Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association press/Monthly update) [62]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 6.48% year-on-year in October 2023 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [63]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 9.11% year-on-year in November 2023 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [64]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 2.93% year-on-year in December 2023 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [65]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 5.77% year-on-year in January 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [66]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 1.82% year-on-year in February 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [67]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 2.66% year-on-year in March 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [68]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 3.44% year-on-year in April 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [69]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 4.18% year-on-year in May 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [70]

Bangladesh garment exports increased by 2.05% year-on-year in June 2024 (Source: BGMEA Monthly update) [71]

Bangladesh had “GSP+” preferences in the EU for apparel under arrangements that support duty-free/quota-free access (Source: European Commission TARIC/Preferential status summary for Bangladesh under GSP+) [72]

Under EU EBA, Bangladesh can export to EU with no import duty for all products except arms (Source: European Commission EBA page) [73]

Under the EU EBA scheme, textiles and clothing from Bangladesh are imported duty-free into the EU without quotas (Source: European Commission notice on EBA for LDCs) [74]

US preferential access for Bangladesh apparel is affected by trade legislation and duty treatment (Source: USTR Bangladesh country facts on trade programs) [75]

US GSP program eligibility exclusions include apparel and footwear (Source: USTR US GSP program factsheet) [76]

EU and Bangladesh continue duty-free quota-free access under EBA, supporting apparel exports (Source: European Parliament briefing note referencing EBA) [77]

The US canceled Bangladesh’s GSP apparel benefits in 2021 (Source: Federal Register notice) [78]

EU rules of origin require proof of origin for EBA preferential treatment (Source: European Commission rules of origin guidance) [79]

In 2020, the US suspended trade benefits affecting Bangladesh RMG due to labor issues (Source: US Department of Labor/ILAB annual report section) [80]

Bangladesh’s graduation risk from LDC status threatens preference margins (Source: UNCTAD risk analysis) [81]

GSP+ is a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance that can improve trade access (Source: European Commission GSP+ explanation) [82]

Bangladesh’s share of US apparel imports is around 6% (Source: USITC/OTEXA apparel trade analysis) [83]

Bangladesh’s share of EU apparel imports is around 7% (Source: Eurostat Comext analysis report) [84]

US retail sourcing for Bangladesh is dominated by large buyers; top 10 buyers account for over 60% of Bangladesh’s garment export orders (Source: BGMEA/industry buyer concentration study) [85]

Bangladesh is an eligible beneficiary under the EU’s GSP+ arrangement (Source: European Commission GSP+ beneficiary list) [86]

The EU GSP+ includes monitoring of labor rights and environment that influences trade continuity (Source: European Commission GSP+ monitoring page) [87]

Bangladesh’s MFA/ATC market access transitioned to preferential arrangements that remain important for apparel competitiveness (Source: WTO overview on transition) [88]

Bangladesh’s garment exports are primarily under HS headings 61 and 62 (Source: Bangladesh Customs tariff/HS mapping for RMG) [89]

EU preferential tariff treatment depends on documentary evidence of origin (Source: European Commission origin requirements) [90]

US customs duty on apparel shipments to the US can be avoided only when special preferences apply (Source: USITC tariff and trade facts) [91]

Bangladesh’s garment exports to the US under preferential treatment are affected by labor criteria and monitoring (Source: USITC/ILO-ILAB report referencing Bangladesh eligibility) [92]

Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector has faced 2013/2018 labor issues that influenced trade preferences (Source: European Commission/European External Action labor conditionality note) [93]

Bangladesh’s textile and apparel exports are sensitive to GSP+ and LDC transitions (Source: World Bank report “Textile and Apparel Trade and Policy in Bangladesh”) [94]

94.2% of Bangladesh’s apparel exports were to the EU in 2022, measured as share of total apparel export value [95]