The country’s apparel manufacturers urged buyers to be patient and support them regarding the United States’ tariff on Bangladeshi export items.
Md Anwar Hossain, administrator of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, made the call in a letter sent to the buyers, brands, and retailers.
He said that with the continued support of the buyers, Bangladesh is striving to make the industry globally competitive, sustainable, and socially impactful, particularly for the millions of workers, many of whom are women, whose livelihoods depend on this sector.
‘We believe that with solidarity and collaboration, we will be able to address these challenges effectively,’ the letter reads.
The recent announcement of the reciprocal tariff, particularly the 37 per cent tariff on Bangladeshi exports to the United States, has placed the country’s manufacturers in an unexpectedly challenging situation.
As the US remains the single largest export market, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the apparel exports, this sudden measure has caused deep concern among Bangladesh exporters and the buyer community retailing in the United States.
‘We fully recognise that this has created pressure at your end. The uncertainty surrounding cost structures, supply chain planning, and long-term sourcing decisions is significant, and we acknowledge your circumstances with utmost sincerity,’ he added.
He also said that the government of Bangladesh and the private sector are treating this issue with the utmost seriousness and the government has already consulted with key industry stakeholders, and further high-level discussions are expected imminently.
The government has also engaged with US authorities, sincerely intending to align our bilateral trade relationship, he said.
‘We are aware that several brands and retailers have already reached out to their Bangladeshi suppliers, expressing concern, and in some cases, discussing possible measures to mitigate the impact,’ he said adding that transferring the burden downstream to suppliers at this early stage will only exacerbate the stress.
In this regard, he urged the buyers to be patient.
On April 3, the United States imposed a steep 37 per cent reciprocal tariff on Bangladeshi exports, raising concerns about the resultant economic fallout and declining trade competitiveness for Bangladesh.
