The US has hit Bangladesh’s garment exports with a crushing 37% tariff. That’s not just high—it’s dangerously uncompetitive. For context, countries like India, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, and Kenya are shipping similar apparel to the US with either zero or significantly lower duties. The result? They're undercutting us and eating into our $10 billion US export market. Orders are already shifting.

But this isn’t just about garments. The entire ecosystem is feeling the heat—factories, banks, insurers, shipping agents, freight forwarders, customs handlers—you name it. Our $40 billion supply chain, built painstakingly over decades, is under threat.

So what do we do?

First, we need serious trade diplomacy. Bangladesh should immediately push for preferential market access through either GSP+ reinstatement or an FTA with the US. We’re already one of the biggest buyers of US cotton—leverage that. At the same time, let’s ask for lower tariffs on key American imports like semiconductor equipment, chemicals, and machinery. It’s mutual interest.

Second, we must diversify our export basket and market reach. Too much reliance on RMG and the US makes us fragile. Asia, Africa, and the Middle East are emerging markets. Let’s look there.

Third, reform. Make customs smarter. Fix the bond licensing bottleneck. Streamline logistics. Reduce lead times. This is not optional anymore—it’s survival.

This is a wake-up call. The world’s changing fast, and if we want to keep our place at the table, we’ll need to adapt faster. The garment sector is our backbone, but it needs serious support to withstand this tariff storm.