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Trade between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom

In 2024, Bangladesh exported $4.2 billion to the United Kingdom and imported $303 million. Bangladesh ran a surplus of $3.9 billion with the United Kingdom, compared with a surplus of $3.4 billion in 2019. The United Kingdom was Bangladesh’s 5th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and Bangladesh was the United Kingdom’s 41st (0.4%).

Summary

Bangladesh → United Kingdom
$4.2billion
United Kingdom → Bangladesh
$303million
Bangladesh’s balance
$3.9billion

Balance

Bangladesh’s trade balance with the United Kingdom

Trade between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom grew 8.4-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Bangladesh’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 4.2
  • Imports 0.3
  • Balance +3.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$388 million$144 million$244 million
1996$457 million$147 million$310 million
1997$490 million$236 million$254 million
1998$426 million$273 million$153 million
1999$440 million$98 million$342 million
2000$771 million$166 million$605 million
2001$882 million$159 million$723 million
2002$929 million$154 million$775 million
2003$1.2 billion$132 million$1.1 billion
2004$1.6 billion$154 million$1.4 billion
2005$1.4 billion$190 million$1.2 billion
2006$1.7 billion$307 million$1.4 billion
2007$1.8 billion$164 million$1.6 billion
2008$1.9 billion$181 million$1.8 billion
2009$1.9 billion$196 million$1.7 billion
2010$2.1 billion$261 million$1.8 billion
2011$2.8 billion$330 million$2.5 billion
2012$2.7 billion$307 million$2.4 billion
2013$3 billion$299 million$2.7 billion
2014$3.1 billion$214 million$2.9 billion
2015$3.6 billion$328 million$3.3 billion
2016$3.6 billion$395 million$3.2 billion
2017$3.6 billion$384 million$3.2 billion
2018$3.8 billion$489 million$3.3 billion
2019$3.9 billion$516 million$3.4 billion
2020$3.1 billion$299 million$2.8 billion
2021$3.3 billion$546 million$2.8 billion
2022$4.9 billion$679 million$4.2 billion
2023$4.3 billion$604 million$3.6 billion
2024$4.2 billion$303 million$3.9 billion

What they sell each other

What Bangladesh sells to the United Kingdom

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. T-shirts$691 million · 16.6%
    48 thousand tonnes
  2. Sweaters and pullovers$581 million · 13.9%
    35 thousand tonnes
  3. Men's suits and trousers$449 million · 10.8%
    27 thousand tonnes
  4. Women's suits and dresses$429 million · 10.3%
    25 thousand tonnes
  5. Women's knitted suits and dresses$384 million · 9.2%
    27 thousand tonnes
  6. Men's shirts$208 million · 5%
    10 thousand tonnes
  7. Women's knitted underwear and pajamas$164 million · 3.9%
    9 thousand tonnes
  8. Men's knitted underwear and pajamas$156 million · 3.8%
    8 thousand tonnes
  9. Men's knitted suits and trousers$106 million · 2.6%
    8 thousand tonnes
  10. Men's knitted shirts$105 million · 2.5%
    6 thousand tonnes

What the United Kingdom sells to Bangladesh

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Turbojets and gas turbines$29 million · 9.6%
    7 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  2. Generating sets$24 million · 8%
    2 thousand tonnes
  3. Ferrous scrap$17 million · 5.6%
    44 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  4. Cars$15 million · 4.9%
    271 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  5. Women's suits and dresses$12 million · 4.1%
    410 tonnes
  6. Air pumps, compressors and fans$11 million · 3.8%
    16 tonnes
  7. Men's suits and trousers$10 million · 3.3%
    319 tonnes
  8. T-shirts$10 million · 3.2%
    283 tonnes
  9. Sweaters and pullovers$9 million · 3%
    283 tonnes
  10. Massage and respiratory therapy devices$6 million · 2.1%
    288 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Chittagong to Felixstowe.

The estimated sea route between Chittagong and Felixstowe is 12,018 nautical miles (22,257 km) long: ≈ 28–36 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Dover (12,018 nautical miles); and 15% via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Dover (8,209 nautical miles).

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$4.3 billion · 96.7%
  2. Air$149 million · 3.3%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United Kingdom was Bangladesh’s 5th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and Bangladesh was the United Kingdom’s 41st (0.4%).

The United Kingdom in Bangladesh’s trade
3.7%
The United Kingdom’s rank among Bangladesh’s partners
5th
Bangladesh in the United Kingdom’s trade
0.4%
Bangladesh’s rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
41st

Compare with

Other partners of Bangladesh

Other partners of the United Kingdom

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.