Bangladesh is struggling in the export of readymade garments to the US market. Exports have again been decreased in the month of January of the ongoing 2015 following a continuous reduction for 11 months of last year.
During the month, apparels worth of $44 crore and 70 lakh were exported to the USA, which is 7.16% less than $48 crore exported during the same period of last year. It was the biggest fall in the last one year. In terms of total volume, Bangladesh exported 15 crore and 21 lakh in January, which is 8.38% less than the same time of last year.
Garments export in the US decreased from 0.20% to maximum 3.5% from February to December in 2014. The last time Bangladesh saw a growth in export in this market was 3.82% in January last year.
Last year, the US imported apparels worth of 483 crore from Bangladesh, a 2.29% fall from 494 crore of 2013.
The US Department of Commerce Office of Textile and Apparel (OTEXA) published this report on 4 February last year.
The report shows that the US imported $652 crore worth of apparels from 104 countries in January, which is 4.60% less than last year’s $684 crore.
During this period, the US imported apparels worth $235 crore from China, $79 crore from Vietnam, $44.70 crore from Bangladesh, $41 crore from Indonesia, $30 crore from India and $26 crore from Mexico. Considering this estimate, Bangladesh currently occupies the third position in exporting apparels to the US. While Bangladesh suffered a negative growth in export, its competitors Vietnam and India gained export growth of 1.34% and 5.24% respectively.
Reasons behind the decrease of Bangladesh’s apparel export are the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013 and the turbulent political condition prevailing inside the country. Citing these problems, leaders of BGMEA, an organization of garments owner, said in December and January that after the collapse of garments factory in Savar, many buyers had stopped giving orders to those who run their production in shared buildings. Some buyers from the US, however, expressed their satisfaction over the condition of Bangladesh’s garments factories having inspected them physically all by themselves during the apparel summit held in December. They said Bangladesh was coming back to the business. But BGMEA leaders have expressed their concern that political unrest may hold them back again.
BGMEA Vice-President, Shahidullah Azim, told Prothom Alo yesterday, “Recently in a meeting of Buyers forum, buyers informed us that they want to increase their order in the factories. That is why, buying houses are making their offices big. They are saying that ‘we want to give you more orders, but you cannot take.’
Shahidullah Azim also said that there is less possibility of improvement in the export of readymade garments to the US unless the current political condition does not improve. He said, “The US has decreased importing apparels from different countries. So, our growth in export has been negative. But we are moving ahead with our works on factory inspection, labor law reform, the appointment of inspector and so on, which were insisted by the US government. We were supposed to be given more orders, and we were well-prepared for that.”

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