“No other country's exports to the EU have fallen by as much. What is more concerning is that our decline is the highest,” says former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel
Published : 17 Sep 2026, 10:59 AM
Bangladesh has recorded the sharpest decline in garment exports to the European Union among major apparel-supplying countries, even as key competitors China and Vietnam expanded their presence in the bloc's market.
The country's garment exporters shipped products worth 10.37 billion euros to the 27-nation bloc between January and July, down 13.65 percent from the same period last year, according to updated Eurostat data released on Wednesday.
“No other country's exports to the EU have fallen by as much. What is more concerning is that our decline is the highest,” said former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel.
Turkey recorded the second-highest decline at 13.32 percent, followed by India at 12.24 percent, Pakistan at 11.81 percent and Cambodia at 6.69 percent.
Vietnam posted the highest growth, with garment exports to the EU rising 3.92 percent, while China's increased 1.89 percent.
EU buyers imported garments worth 51.61 billion euros from China, Bangladesh, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and other countries in the first seven months, down 5.10 percent year-on-year.
China remained the largest supplier, exporting garments worth 16.42 billion euros, while Vietnam shipped 2.55 billion euros during the period.
The figures show that although EU buyers reduced overall garment purchases, they increased sourcing from China and Vietnam.
In contrast, the decline in purchases from Bangladesh was more than twice the bloc's average fall.
Bangladesh exported garments worth 10.37 billion euros to the EU from January to July, compared with 12.01 billion euros in the same period last year.
Garments account for more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's total export earnings.
Around 60 percent of garment export earnings come from European markets, while about 20 percent comes from the US, Bangladesh's largest single-country market.
Bangladesh's garment exports to the US also fell 6.5 percent to $4.66 billion in January-July 2026, according to the US Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel. Despite the decline, Bangladesh retained its position as the second-largest supplier to the US market.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Executive President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan said overall export conditions were weak, citing global and domestic challenges, including gas and electricity problems.
He identified three factors behind the EU's decline: weaker consumer demand, what he called China's “aggressive marketing” to secure orders, and EU buyers shifting orders to India following an FTA between India and the bloc.
Vietnam Gains Competitive Edge
After China and Bangladesh, the top garment exporters to the EU are Turkey, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Morocco, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Turkey exported garments worth 4.38 billion euros to the EU between January and July, down 13.32 percent from the same period last year.
India exported garments worth 2.74 billion euros, a decline of 12.24 percent.
Among the top 10 garment exporters, only China and Vietnam recorded growth during the period.
Garment exports from Cambodia to the European market fell 6.69 percent from January-July, while Pakistan's declined 11.81 percent, Morocco's 6.72 percent, Sri Lanka's 11.83 percent and Indonesia's 12.12 percent.
More Reasons Behind Bangladesh's Export Decline
Although China exports higher-value garments to the EU than Bangladesh, it trails Bangladesh in terms of volume. In the first seven months of this year, China shipped 816.26 million kg of garments to the EU, up 4.16 percent from the same period last year.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, exported 751.91 million kg to the European market during the period, down 5.66 percent year-on-year.
Bangladesh also trails China in the average value of its garment exports.
Between January and July, China's average export price was 20.20 euros per kg, down 2.18 percent from the same period last year.
Bangladesh's average export price was 13.80 euros per kg, down 8.47 percent year-on-year.
The average price of garments exported by Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia, however, increased during the period. India's fell by 1.76 percent.
Asked why Bangladesh's garment exports are falling in the European market as they are in the US, Bangladesh Apparel Voice Chief Executive Officer Mohiuddin told bdnews24.com that the overall decline in EU garment imports had affected Bangladesh as well.
“EU buyers have imported fewer garments overall. The impact has also been felt by us.
“Our main competitors, China and Vietnam, have increased their exports. That is what is concerning. More worrying still is that our decline has been the steepest,” he said.
Still, Mohiuddin said there was reason for optimism, as Bangladesh's exports to the market fell less in June and July than during the preceding five months.
“The decline was sharper from January to May. Now it remains to be seen what happens during the remaining five months of the year,” he said.
