Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Christmas apparel shipments from Bangladesh to major Western markets have slowed this season as weak consumer demand abroad and energy shortages at home disrupt factory production.

With Wednesday's public holiday marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising, and Friday and Saturday being weekly holidays, factory managements opted to shut for three consecutive days rather than reopen today before the weekend

Three textile and apparel trade bodies have recommended 370 closed and struggling factories to the Bangladesh Bank for loans under the government’s Tk 60,000 crore stimulus package.

97 percent of Bangladeshi goods to get preferential access

Factories run below capacity while new plants await gas, casting doubt over investment, employment

Bangladesh and South Korea are set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Dhaka on Tuesday, as the country steps up efforts to secure duty-free market access ahead of its graduation from the least developed country club.

The government yesterday set a merchandise export target of $55.2 billion and a services export target of $8.2 billion for fiscal year 2026-27. Economists and business leaders said achieving the targets would be difficult amid an uncertain global environment and persistent domestic constraints.

The country’s sluggish garment exports are unlikely to recover in the coming months as the war in the Gulf drives up energy costs, feeds inflation in key Western markets and leaves retailers with more unsold stock, according to exporters and major international buyers.