Bangladesh’s export sector has finally broken an eight-month streak of decline, with export earnings for April 2026 surging past the $4 billion mark. According to the latest data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Sunday, the country recorded an export growth of nearly 33% compared to the same period last year.
Key Export Highlights for April
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Total Export Earnings: $4.00 billion (approx. Tk 400 crore USD).
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Year-on-Year Growth: 32.92% increase compared to April 2025 ($3.01 billion).
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Month-on-Month Growth: 15.20% increase compared to March 2026 ($3.48 billion).
The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector remained the primary driver of this growth, contributing $3.14 billion to the total, a 31.21% rise over the previous year. Specifically, knitwear exports grew by 30%, while woven garments saw a 32% increase. Other sectors, including agricultural products, jute and jute goods, leather and leather products, home textiles, and engineering products, also reported positive growth.
Expert Insight: A Temporary Surge or Sustained Recovery?
While the figures bring a sense of relief, industry leaders advise caution regarding the long-term outlook.
Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and the Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB), explained that the surge in April is largely a reflection of a shipment backlog from the previous month.
“The growth in April is primarily due to the delayed shipment of goods that could not be exported in March because of the 10-day production disruption during Eid-ul-Fitr,” said Mohammad Hatem. “In reality, there has not been a surge in new orders or increased buyer pressure. This should not be viewed as a permanent trend.”
Hatem further warned that upcoming holidays in the last week of May could once again disrupt production and export operations. He suggested that observers should wait until July to get a clearer picture of the industry’s true trajectory, as the impact of consecutive holidays may cause fluctuations in May and June as well.
Fiscal Year Overview
Despite the strong performance in April, the overall picture for the current fiscal year (2025-26) remains slightly negative.
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Cumulative Exports (July–April): $39.39 billion.
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Comparison: This is a 2.02% decrease compared to the $40.20 billion recorded during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
After a promising start in July 2025, when the country saw nearly 25% growth, the sector faced an eight-month downturn. Analysts hope that the positive performance in April signals the beginning of a stabilization period for Bangladesh’s export-oriented industries.
