DHAKA: US buyers have begun halting orders from Bangladesh, the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, after punishing US tariffs, leaders of the South Asian nation’s critical industry warned on Monday.

Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hit hard in a student-led revolution that toppled the government last year.

US President Donald Trump hit Bangladesh with punishing new tariffs of 37pc on Wednesday, hiking duties from the previous 16pc on cotton products.

Mohammad Mushfiqur Rahman, managing director of Essensor Footwear and Leather Products, said he received a letter from one of his buyers requesting a shipment halt.

“My buyer asked me to stop a shipment of leather goods — including bags, belts, and wallets — worth $300,000 on Sunday,” Rahman said.

“He’s a long-time buyer and now both of us are in limbo over the issue.” Rahman, who has been operating since 2008, usually sends goods averaging about $100,000 to the United States every month.

Bangladesh exported approximately $8.4 billion worth of goods to the United States last year, of which $7.34 billion came from the ready-made garments sector.

Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo also quoted AKM Saifur Rahman, CEO of ready-made garments producer Wikitex-BD, saying that his US buyer had requested a halt to a shipment worth $150,000.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025