The two-way trade between Bangladesh and the USA grew 19 per cent and crossed $3.6 billion in 2006 with trade balance heavily tilting in favour of Dhaka. US foreign trade statistics, updated on February 14, reveal that in 2006, Bangladesh’s exports to the USA amounted to $3,270 million while imports figured $333 million, raising the total volume of bilateral trade to $3,603 million. Bangladesh’s export to its single biggest destination recorded 21.6 per cent growth last year, largely outpacing the 6.4 per cent rise in import of American goods.

Total export to and import from the USA was $2.69 billion and $320 million in 2005 respectively. Bangladesh’s trade surplus with the worlds biggest economy amounted to $2.94 billion last year, up from $2.37 billion in 2005, showed the statistics. Bilateral trade looked sound during the last seven years. In 2000, the two-way trade figured $2.65 billion with Bangladesh enjoying a surplus of $2.17 billion. In 2006, Made in Bangladesh apparels shipped to the US market constituted more than 89 per cent exports of the country. Readymade garment fetched $2,914 million in the year.

One-third of Bangladesh’s $8.93 billion apparel export revenue came from the USA in 2006, while the EU as a group remained the major market. The growing trade deficit has made Bangladesh’s exporters upbeat, but prompted US authorities and trade lobbies to explore more opportunities to promote sales of American goods here.