Exports rebound in May

Exports picked up pace in May, after a slight slowdown in April, growing by more than 11% compared with the same month last year.

The rebound in May also ensured the outgoing fiscal year 2024-25 beats last year’s earnings with one month in hand, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Tuesday.

In the fiscal year 2023-24, which ended on 30 June 2024, exports earnings totalled $44.46 billion. The full-year figure was surpassed in the next 11 months during July 2024-May 2025.

In July 2024-May 2025, export income has seen a significant 10% growth compared to the same period last year, when earnings stood at $40.85 billion.

As per the EPB data, export earnings in May alone reached $4.73 billion, an increase of 11.45% compared to $4.25 billion in May of the previous year.

The ready-made garment (RMG) sector, which is the largest contributor to Bangladesh's exports, demonstrated a strong growth of 10.25%. Earnings from this sector amounted to $36.55 billion, up from $33.17 billion in the preceding year.

Within RMG, woven garment exports increased by 9.30% to $16.94 billion, while knitwear exports surged by 10.98% to $19.62 billion.

The record export performance in the first 11 months positions Bangladesh strongly to exceed its export targets for the current fiscal year, reinforcing its position in the global trade arena.