Bangladesh’s apparel export machine is growing again but its physical footprint remains unusually concentrated. Independent factory mapping shows **.* per cent of mapped export-oriented ready-made garment (RMG) factories sit in districts served by Titas Gas, while TexPro data shows almost ** per cent of apparel export value is concentrated in five product groups. The latest gas shock exposed how quickly those concentrations can collide.
A concentrated export engine
Bangladesh’s apparel sector generated $**.** billion in RMG exports in FY****–** while shipments in July-August **** rose *.** per cent year on year, signalling renewed export momentum. Yet the industry’s physical and commercial footprint remains heavily concentrated. Of the *,*** export-oriented factories mapped by Mapped in Bangladesh, *,*** are located in districts served by Titas Gas, pointing out the sector’s exposure to a single regional energy network. The concentration extends overseas too. According to TexPro, Europe and North America accounted for **.** per cent of Bangladesh’s apparel export value in its January ****-July **** regional dataset, highlighting how a geographically concentrated production base also depends heavily on two major destination regions.
