Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) exports to the United States market achieved their highest-ever single-month growth last August. According to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh’s garment exports to the country increased by 25.65 percent in August compared to the same month last year.

In August of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh exported RMG products worth over $817 million to the US. In the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year, the amount was $650.34 million. During the first two months (July and August) of the 2026-27 fiscal year, total RMG exports to the US reached $1.61 billion, marking an 11.42 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year.

The monthly average of RMG exports to the US for the first two months of the current fiscal year stands at $806.46 million. By contrast, taking the total exports of the 2025-26 fiscal year across a 12-month average, the monthly average was $645.38 million.

This indicates that the monthly average of garment exports to the US at the very beginning of the current fiscal year is significantly higher than last year's average.

However, this accelerated momentum in the current fiscal year is primarily driven by the strong growth in August, during which RMG exports to the US surged by 25.65 percent.

The US: Bangladesh's Single Largest Export Market
The United States remains Bangladesh's single largest export market for ready-made garments.

In the 2025-26 fiscal year, total merchandise export earnings from the country amounted to about $9.04 billion, a 4.09 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. Of this, $7.74 billion came from RMG alone, meaning non-garment products accounted for approximately $1.30 billion of Bangladesh's exports to the US market.

Beyond apparel, Bangladesh's export items to the US include:

• Leather and leather goods
• Jute and jute goods
• Home textiles
• Agricultural and processed foods
• Plastic and melamine products
• Textiles and yarn
• Pharmaceuticals
• Light engineering products
• Footwear and other industrial goods

There are also significant opportunities to increase the export of high-value and diversified apparel items alongside these goods.

The Ministry of Commerce has highlighted pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods, agricultural products, light engineering, and the ICT sector as priorities for expanding trade with the US, opening avenues to broaden exports beyond just ready-made garments.

Industry Perspectives and Future Potential
Exporters foresee further growth in Bangladesh's exports to the US in the coming days, anticipating an increase in orders for Bangladeshi garments in upcoming months.

Md. Fazlul Haque, a prominent entrepreneur in the apparel industry and currently the Administrator of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told BSS that exports to the US grew last August because it was the final window for placing winter clothing orders.

He noted that Bangladeshi entrepreneurs possess an inherent resilience amidst various global crises, enabling them to boost exports to the US even under adverse conditions.

Mentioning that they are receiving better orders from the US market compared to previous months, Haque emphasized product diversification as a key driver to multiply exports.

Fazle Shamim Ehsan, Executive Vice President of BKMEA and Managing Director of Fatullah Apparels Ltd., stated that global contexts have created an opportunity to increase Bangladesh's exports to the US, which local entrepreneurs are successfully leveraging.

He expressed optimism that this momentum can be further optimized if uninterrupted fuel supply and policy consistency are maintained.

Mohiuddin Rubel, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Apparel Voice, told BSS that the current pace of RMG exports to the US is highly promising.

If this pace continues for the next 12 months, RMG export earnings from the US could reach $9 billion in the 2026-27 fiscal year.

He underscored that since the US is Bangladesh's single largest export market, diversification, high-value addition, and quality improvement are critical for expansion, alongside ensuring utilities such as fuel.

In the 2025-26 fiscal year, Bangladesh's total merchandise export earnings were nearly $48 billion, with the US alone importing goods worth about $9.04 billion.

The growth momentum in RMG exports at the start of the current fiscal year—highlighted by August's record 25.65 percent single-month growth—has once again brought Bangladesh's export potential into the spotlight.