Exports decline 7.07pc in May as RMG shipments fall 8.29pc

Bangladesh's export earnings fell by 7.07 per cent in May compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the latest data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Wednesday.

Exports had rebounded in April after eight consecutive months of decline. However, the recovery proved short-lived as shipments contracted again in May.

The EPB data showed that export earnings stood at US$4.403 billion in May 2026, down from US$4.738 billion in May 2025, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 7.07 percent.

Ready-made garment (RMG) exports, the country's main export earner, also fell by 8.29 per cent year-on-year to US$3.594 billion in May, compared with US$3.919 billion in the same month last year.

Of the total RMG export earnings, $1.969 billion came from knitwear exports, marking an 8.91 per cent decline from a year earlier. Meanwhile, woven garment exports generated $1.625 billion, down 7.53 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.

According to data from the EPB, among other major export sectors, earnings from agricultural products and leather and leather goods declined in May, while home textile exports posted growth.