Non-Garment Sectors Outpace Bangladesh’s Overall Export Growth

Chemicals and jute record stronger percentage gains, while garments continue to dominate earnings.

Several non-traditional export sectors grew faster than Bangladesh’s overall exports during July-October of fiscal 2026-27, according to Export Promotion Bureau figures cited by BSS on November 4. Total export earnings rose 5.88 percent year on year to $17.09 billion over the four-month period.

Chemical products recorded growth of 27 percent, while jute and jute goods increased 24.88 percent. Specialised textiles rose 16.52 percent, leather and leather products 12.47 percent, and engineering products 12.44 percent. Ready-made garments nevertheless remained the largest contributor to the country’s export earnings.

The report put chemical export earnings at $157.15 million and pharmaceutical earnings at $101.73 million, with the latter up 36.44 percent. The results point to faster expansion in several smaller industries, but do not indicate that they have overtaken garments in the value of goods sold abroad.

Context: Growth rates and export shares need to be read together. A smaller industry can achieve a large percentage increase while adding less export income than a modest improvement in a much larger sector. Diversification is better assessed through both the pace of growth and changes in the composition of total earnings.

The next question is whether these industries can sustain demand over longer periods and across different markets. Comparable full-year data would help separate lasting expansion from shorter-term movements. For now, the four-month figures show a broader group of sectors contributing to growth, with the scale of their future role dependent on continued sales, production capability and access to overseas buyers.