April’s $4 billion export rebound offers relief, but weak ten-month data and holiday-distorted shipments suggest Bangladesh’s RMG sector has not yet returned to steady growth.
Bangladesh’s merchandise exports rebounded sharply in April 2026, rising 32.92% year on year to about $4.0 billion, helped mainly by stronger readymade garment shipments. The recovery lifted monthly earnings from roughly $3.0 billion in April 2025. But the broader picture remains softer: export receipts for July–April FY2025-26 were still down 2.02% at about $39.39 billion, compared with $40.21 billion a year earlier.
Garments carry the rebound
As usual, apparel did most of the work. RMG exports reached $3.14 billion in April, up 31.21% from $2.39 billion a year earlier. Knitwear rose to $1.70 billion, while woven garments reached $1.44 billion. Yet the ten-month performance shows continuing pressure: apparel exports fell 2.82% to $31.72 billion during July–April, with knitwear down 3.68% to $16.81 billion and woven garments down 1.83% to $14.90 billion.
Base effect, not order boom
Exporters are cautious about reading April as a genuine demand turnaround. BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem said March shipments were disrupted by around 10 days of Eid-ul-Fitr factory closures, pushing delayed production and shipment clearances into April. BGMEA leaders made a similar point, saying national elections in February and holiday-related delays distorted the monthly comparison. The current booking situation, they said, remains weak and broadly normal rather than expansionary.
Diversification remains modest
Outside apparel, the picture was mixed. Agricultural exports fell 4.69% to $819 million in July–April, while leather and leather goods rose 5.65% to $988 million. Home textiles increased 3.46% to $766 million, jute and jute goods gained 2.52% to $702 million, and engineering products grew 20.14% to $538 million. These gains matter, but they remain too small to reduce Bangladesh’s structural dependence on garments.
The next test is May–July. If Eid-related disruptions again inflate June shipments, July data will give a clearer signal of whether buyer confidence, policy support and improved operating conditions are translating into real order recovery—or merely smoothing delayed shipments across months.
