Exports touch $22.24 billion

Bangladesh's exports earnings have reached $22.24 billion, showing a 13 percent rise in the first nine months of the current 2013-2014 financial year over $19.68 billion earned in the corresponding period the previous fiscal.

The exports earnings reached to the high propelled by a robust growth in the ready-made garment sector, as political turmoil eased after the January 5 parliamentary election.

The country’s ready-made garment exports continued to soar, reaching $18.05 billion during the period, according to the latest data released by the state-run Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Thursday.

Knitwear and woven garments, the two biggest export earners, grew by 16.4 percent and 14 percent respectively during the period.

The knitwear export volume totalled nearly $8.83 billion and woven garments $9.22 billion.

Normalcy began to return after the parliamentary elections on January 5. The overall business activities were adversely affected since October last year following frequent spells of blockade and shutdown.

Bangladesh is now the second largest garment exporter after China. The country has around 4,000 active garment factories, employing more than 4 million people, 80 percent of whom are women.