Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
Bangladesh’s apparel export to the US market has increased significantly in the first nine months (January-September) of the current calendar year despite the ongoing dispute between the two countries over GSP issue and factory safety.
According to an official figure of the US office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), the country’s apparel export to American market grew by 9.67 per cent during the period compared with 2.29 per cent growth in 2014.
Exporters said, the renewed buoyancy in clothing export to the market is helped by a steady improvement in demands, decline in Chinese exports, and progress in compliance issues in local manufacturing units.
“The export growth is significant despite the ongoing trade dispute between Bangladesh and the US over the GSP issue,” Abdus Salam Murshedy, a former
President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told The New Nation on Friday. He said, “Our export in the US continues to grow after a contraction capitalising increased demands and improving factory working conditions and competitiveness of local garment items”. Earlier, Bangladesh is seen a contraction in apparel exports to the US on account of safety concern following the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory.
“The US importers shifted orders from Bangladeshi factories that run production on shared buildings due to compliance issues leading to fall in overall apparel export to the country last year,” noted Murshedy.
He further said, we have sustained better compliance practices after the disaster and continue to retain a competitive edge over other players. These have attracted the US buyers and international brands to source from us again pushing up demands for local apparels.
“Our competitors have been steadily losing ground to Bangladesh in the US market on account of increasing cost of production that also helped the turnaround of export in the same market,” he said.
“It is a significant jump from a meagre growth of just 2.29 per cent in last year. The turnaround in export is a reflection of growing demand from the importing nation,” M Siddique Rahman, President of BGMEA told The New Nation.
Referring to the latest export data, he said, demand for our apparel products in the US market is still high because of price competitiveness and quality. If the present trend of export continues, Bangladesh will be able to register a double digit apparel export growth there by the end of this year.
When asked, Rahman said, the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory has had a continuing impact in terms of orders being diverted to India and other markets because of concerns over Bangladeshi workplace safety.
“We did significant improvement in terms of safety issues as per the requirements of the global buyers. Such a development in local factories helped regain confidence of the US buyers reflecting rise in overall import by them,” he added.
The OTEXA data showed that the US importers imported apparel products worth US$4.14 billion from Bangladesh during January-September period of the current year against the import of US$3.78 billion in the corresponding period of previous year. Last year, the country imported apparels worth US$4.8 billion from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world and its 80 per cent garment exports are destined for the EU and the US.
Bangladesh’s apparel export to the US market has increased significantly in the first nine months (January-September) of the current calendar year despite the ongoing dispute between the two countries over GSP issue and factory safety.
According to an official figure of the US office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), the country’s apparel export to American market grew by 9.67 per cent during the period compared with 2.29 per cent growth in 2014.
Exporters said, the renewed buoyancy in clothing export to the market is helped by a steady improvement in demands, decline in Chinese exports, and progress in compliance issues in local manufacturing units.
“The export growth is significant despite the ongoing trade dispute between Bangladesh and the US over the GSP issue,” Abdus Salam Murshedy, a former
President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told The New Nation on Friday. He said, “Our export in the US continues to grow after a contraction capitalising increased demands and improving factory working conditions and competitiveness of local garment items”. Earlier, Bangladesh is seen a contraction in apparel exports to the US on account of safety concern following the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory.
“The US importers shifted orders from Bangladeshi factories that run production on shared buildings due to compliance issues leading to fall in overall apparel export to the country last year,” noted Murshedy.
He further said, we have sustained better compliance practices after the disaster and continue to retain a competitive edge over other players. These have attracted the US buyers and international brands to source from us again pushing up demands for local apparels.
“Our competitors have been steadily losing ground to Bangladesh in the US market on account of increasing cost of production that also helped the turnaround of export in the same market,” he said.
“It is a significant jump from a meagre growth of just 2.29 per cent in last year. The turnaround in export is a reflection of growing demand from the importing nation,” M Siddique Rahman, President of BGMEA told The New Nation.
Referring to the latest export data, he said, demand for our apparel products in the US market is still high because of price competitiveness and quality. If the present trend of export continues, Bangladesh will be able to register a double digit apparel export growth there by the end of this year.
When asked, Rahman said, the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory has had a continuing impact in terms of orders being diverted to India and other markets because of concerns over Bangladeshi workplace safety.
“We did significant improvement in terms of safety issues as per the requirements of the global buyers. Such a development in local factories helped regain confidence of the US buyers reflecting rise in overall import by them,” he added.
The OTEXA data showed that the US importers imported apparel products worth US$4.14 billion from Bangladesh during January-September period of the current year against the import of US$3.78 billion in the corresponding period of previous year. Last year, the country imported apparels worth US$4.8 billion from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world and its 80 per cent garment exports are destined for the EU and the US.
