Bangladesh garment exports to UK bounce back in August

At a glance
- According to Export Promotion Bureau data, Bangladesh’s garment exports to the UK increased 10.53% year-on-year in August.

• Garment export earnings from the UK reached $915.63 million during July-August of FY2026-27, up from $882.62 million during the same period last year.
• The increase represents an additional $33.01 million in export earnings during the first two months of the fiscal year.
• August performance followed a 2.44% year-on-year decline in July.
• Average monthly garment export earnings from the UK stood at $457.82 million in July-August, compared with $365.71 million in FY2025-26.
• Bangladesh earned $4.39 billion from garment exports to the UK throughout FY2025-26.
• The UK remains one of Bangladesh’s major markets for readymade garments, making its continued growth important for the country’s overall apparel export performance.

Context

As one of Bangladesh's major destinations for readymade garments, the UK generated $4.39 billion in export earnings for the country in FY2025-26. The beginning of FY2026-27 was slightly weaker, however, with exports declining 2.44% year-on-year in July. However, the 10.53% growth recorded in August more than offset the initial decline, bringing July-August earnings to $915.63 million. The monthly average during the first two months of FY2026-27 was also around 25% higher than the average monthly earnings recorded from the UK during the previous fiscal year.

Why it matters

The UK remains an important market for Bangladesh’s RMG sector, already generating over one-fifth of its total FY2025-26 garment export earnings in the first two months alone, supporting the country's broader apparel performance. Although it declined by 2.44% in July, the decline did not sustain. It was followed by double-digit growth in August, bringing the overall two-month performance back into positive territory.

Since Bangladesh remains heavily dependent on garment exports, the rise in average monthly earnings suggests that the country is beginning the new fiscal year with stronger performance in the UK market than it recorded on average last year, and if this continues, it may provide an important source of stability for the RMG sector to sustain export earnings.

What we think

A 10.53% jump in August shows that demand in established markets may return quickly. At the same time, true flexibility demands more than just recovering whenever a key market slows. Consistent growth needs steady progress, not just short-term improvements.