Bangladesh exports hit nearly $4 billion in October, third straight month of growth

Bangladesh's merchandise exports rose 4.39% year-on-year to $3.99 billion in October, the third consecutive month of growth, according to data released by Bangladesh Bank on 2 November. Exports in the same month last year stood at $3.82 billion, and earnings also grew 1.39% from September's $3.94 billion. In the first four months of FY2026-27, exports reached $17.04 billion, up 6% from $16.08 billion a year earlier. Ready-made garments led with $3.17 billion in October, up 4.90%. Pharmaceuticals posted the strongest sectoral growth at 25.67% in October, while jute and jute goods rose 9.64% and leather products 4.70%. The United States remained the largest market with $3.35 billion in shipments over July-October. Remittances rose 12.18% year-on-year to $2.87 billion in October. However, BKMEA vice-president Md Fazlee Shamim Ehsan cautioned that headline growth may not reflect reality: raw material import costs rose 15-20% over the year while wages increased 9%, meaning real growth could be negative.