Bangladesh apparel exports to the United States secured the second position after Indonesia in terms of growth in 2006 compared with the previous year. The trend indicated healthy performance among other apparel-exporting countries last year. Indonesia was the top apparel-exporting country to the US market last year with a growth of 27.57 per cent to $3.67 billion (367 crore), while Bangladesh recorded a growth of 22.87 per cent to $2.91 billion, and Cambodia 24.69 per cent to $2.13 billion. The Vietnamese export recorded growth of 18.26 per cent to $3.22 billion last year, although it still faced a risk due to the start of the quota elimination after it became a WTO member on January 11.

However, the US formally slapped quota on some categories of the Chinese products in the beginning of 2006. After restriction of the Chinese exports, four Asian countries have performed well. Vietnam is the only apparel exporting country that has integrated its readymade garment (RMG) exports in the beginning of this year with the US quota-free market system. Bangladesh’s textile sector annually earns about $8.0 billion in exports, mainly to the US and the European countries. The industry has employed about 1.8 million workers, mostly women.