FROM PAGE B1

products will begin shipping from September.

“Many orders were booked earlier, but final confirmation was delayed. This week is key. It may take three to four more months for full clarity,” he said.

Asif Ibrahim, vice chairman of Newage Group and a former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the strong performance in July was driven by a mix of global and domestic factors.

“One major driver was the front-loading of orders by international buyers, especially from the United States,” Ibrahim told The Daily Star. “Concerns over potential tariff hikes led many brands to speed up their shipments, pushing a large volume of orders into July.”

He added that geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties, particularly around China, had reshaped global sourcing strategies. As buyers looked to diversify, Bangladesh gained ground as a reliable option.

Ibrahim said traditional markets such as the European Union, United States and Canada continued to show strong demand, while non-traditional markets, including Japan, India and Australia, saw rapid growth.

He also commented that Bangladesh’s improved compliance in factories, greater efficiency and rising focus on sustainability had made the sector more competitive globally.

“These combined dynamics created an unusually high volume of exports in July,” he said. “It is a positive signal for the sector’s performance in the quarters ahead.”

Pharmaceutical exports saw the highest growth, jumping 61.85 percent year-on-year to reach $19 million, up from $12 million in July last year.

Wasim Haider, international marketing manager at Beximco Pharmaceuticals, said the surge likely resulted from multiple overlapping factors.

“This kind of jump is unusual for July,” he told The Daily Star, pointing to delayed June documentation and new product approvals as possible reasons.

In July, leather footwear exports rose by 26 percent. But Nasir Khan, chairman and managing director of Jennys Shoes, said the gains could have been far greater if not for delays and corruption.

“Our shipments often stall at ports due to slow bond clearances,” he said, adding that exporters face demands for “bribes up to Tk 5 lakh just to move files.”

Khan claimed that a network of “unofficial lobbying quarters” and influential officials had taken control of key export approvals, holding back one of the most promising sectors outside the RMG industry.

Despite rising global demand, he said red tape, middlemen and “grease money” continue to undercut the sector’s full potential.