Bangladesh’s export earnings from garments, jute and jute goods, frozen fish and footwear rose 6.22 per cent in November. Total shipments in the July-November period rose 6.86 per cent year-on-year.

Garments accounted for more than 82 per cent of total national exports in the first five months of the fiscal year, 7.46 per cent up from the same period a year ago. Knitwear exports went up 10.86 per cent year-on-year in July-November while woven garments rose 3.99 per cent.

Exports of leather and leather goods, the second largest export earning sector after garments, declined 2.95 per cent year-on-year. Within the same category, exports of leather footwear, however, grew 8.55 per cent. Shipments of jute and jute goods, another top earner, surged 16.51 per cent while jute yarn and twine saw their earnings rise while shipments of raw jute, jute sacks and bags fell.

The country’s garment manufacturers hope shipments grow 12 to 15 per cent a year so that the $50 billion export target by 2021 is reached. They feel cash incentives for exporters and improving infrastructure at ports and airports can help bolster exports. Exporters have also called for measures that will enable them to ship goods through direct cargo flights.