Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest apparel manufacturer and exporter, with thousands of global buyers and brands. The top 10 companies account for nearly 29% of readymade garment (RMG) exports.
Swedish multinational retailer H&M leads the list, followed by Spain’s Inditex and Ireland’s Primark in second and third positions, respectively. Together, these three companies imported nearly $6 billion worth of apparel in the fiscal year 2023-24.
Analyzing data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and buyer statistics, Prothom Alo revealed the top buyers for Bangladesh’s apparel in the last fiscal year.
According to the NBR, Bangladesh exported garments worth $36.37 billion to thousands of buyers in the fiscal year 2023-24. The top 10 companies alone purchased apparel worth $10.5 billion, accounting for 29% of total exports.
The top ten global buyers of Bangladeshi RMG items include H&M (Sweden), Inditex (Spain), Primark (Ireland), Bestseller (Denmark), Marks & Spencer (UK), C&A (Netherlands), Uniqlo (Japan), LPP (Poland), Next (UK), and Pepco (Poland).
Although Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers, directly purchased $400 million of garments from Bangladesh last fiscal year, its total procurement through buying houses remains undisclosed. If included, Walmart could have secured a spot in the top 10.
The USA remains the largest single market for Bangladeshi apparel, while the EU market is the second largest destination.
These multinational companies’ contributions are critical to the country’s RMG sector, which serves major global markets.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk
Photo: Courtesy
