Dhaka, 16 September 2026 (BSS) – Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) exports to the United States recorded their strongest monthly increase ever in August, rising 25.65 percent year‑on‑year, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau.
In August of the 2026‑27 fiscal year, Bangladesh’s garment exports to the United States amounted to more than $817 million, compared with $650.34 million in the same month of the preceding fiscal year.
In the July‑August period of fiscal year 2026‑27, Bangladesh’s ready‑made garment exports to the United States totaled $1.61 billion, marking an 11.42 percent rise from the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Nevertheless, the heightened growth recorded in the first two months was primarily attributable to the strong performance in August, when garment exports to the United States rose by 25.65 percent.
The United States remains Bangladesh’s single largest market for ready‑made garments. In fiscal year 2025‑26, Bangladesh’s total merchandise exports to the United States amounted to roughly $9.04 billion, reflecting a 4.09 percent rise from the prior fiscal year.
Bangladesh’s non‑RMG exports to the United States comprise leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, home textiles, agricultural and processed food items, plastics and melamine products, textiles and yarn, pharmaceuticals, light‑engineering products, footwear and other industrial goods.
The Ministry of Commerce has singled out pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods, agricultural products, light engineering and information and communication technology as priority sectors for expanding trade with the United States.
Exporters also anticipate further growth potential in the United States, noting that orders for Bangladeshi apparel are projected to increase in the coming months.
Mohammad Fazlul Hoque, a leading apparel entrepreneur and administrator of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told BSS that Bangladesh’s exports to the United States increased in August, coinciding with the deadline for placing orders for winter apparel.
He said that, despite a range of global crises, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs possess an inherent capacity to compete, a strength that has enabled Bangladesh to increase its exports to the United States even amid adverse circumstances.
Fazlul Hoque said that if product diversification were increased, Bangladesh’s exports to the U.S. market could rise several times, stressing the need for greater product diversification.
Fazle Shamim Ehsan, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and managing director of Fatullah Apparels Ltd, said the global environment has opened opportunities for Bangladesh to expand its exports to the United States, and that local entrepreneurs are seeking to take advantage of them.
Mahmududdin Rubel, chief executive officer of Bangladesh Apparel Voice, told Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) that the current pace of ready‑made garment (RMG) exports to the United States is highly encouraging.
He said that if the current pace continues over the next 12 months, Bangladesh’s ready‑made garment (RMG) export earnings from the United States could reach $9 billion in fiscal year 2026‑27.
He noted that the United States remains Bangladesh’s largest single export market, underscoring the growing importance of product diversification, higher value‑addition and quality improvement for expanding Bangladeshi exports to that market.
Alongside RMG, Bangladesh could broaden its export portfolio to the United States by expanding shipments of leather, jute, home textiles, agricultural and processed food products, pharmaceuticals, plastics and light‑engineering goods.
Bangladesh’s merchandise exports reached roughly $48 billion in fiscal year 2025‑26, with the United States emerging as the largest single market, importing about $9.04 billion of Bangladeshi goods.
RMG exports to the United States have surged at the start of the current fiscal year, with August recording a record 25.65 % year‑on‑year increase. The performance has renewed attention on Bangladesh’s export potential in the U.S. market.
Why it matters
Record export growth to the United States highlights the resilience of Bangladesh's apparel industry and its capacity to expand trade despite global challenges.