Bangladeshi cement manufacturers have dismissed claims by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) last week over alleged industry overcapacity, insisting that the sector’s production reflects growing domestic demand driven by a decade of major infrastructure projects and the needs of a rapidly expanding economy.

Cement sales in Bangladesh plunged in 2024 due to political instability, rising production costs, and the deferment of the implementation of government infrastructure projects, leaving the industry operating at less than half its capacity.