Despite political uncertainty, labor disputes and factory safety issues, the growth momentum of Bangladesh’s garment exports continues. According to data from the Bangladesh Export Statistics Bureau, in the first half of the current fiscal year (July to December 2013), Bangladesh’s garment exports climbed to US$11.9 billion, higher than US$9.95 billion in the same period last year, and also exceeded expectations. target of $11.28 billion.
During this period, Bangladesh’s woven garment exports were US$5.98 billion, a year-on-year increase of 20.4%. Knitted garment exports were US$5.95 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.6%. The vice chairman of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association said that since most of the export orders during this period were signed from May to July 2013, such data does not reflect the current true situation of the industry, “Bangladesh China’s lower labor costs have attracted the favor of international clothing brands and retailers such as Gap, Walmart, and H&M. However, political fluctuations in recent months have led to frequent closures of clothing factories and production cannot maintain normal operations. Now The industry situation will be revealed in the export data three months later.”
