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Trade between Bangladesh and the United States

In 2024, Bangladesh exported $8.7 billion to the United States and imported $2.2 billion. Bangladesh ran a surplus of $6.5 billion with the United States, compared with a surplus of $5.2 billion in 2019. The United States was Bangladesh’s 3rd largest trading partner (9% of its trade), and Bangladesh was the United States’ 50th (0.2%).

Summary

Bangladesh → United States
$8.7billion
United States → Bangladesh
$2.2billion
Bangladesh’s balance
$6.5billion

Balance

Bangladesh’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between Bangladesh and the United States grew 5.6-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 8.7
  • Imports 2.2
  • Balance +6.5

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.6 billion$342 million$1.3 billion
1996$1.7 billion$278 million$1.4 billion
1997$2 billion$377 million$1.6 billion
1998$2.1 billion$389 million$1.7 billion
1999$2.1 billion$271 million$1.8 billion
2000$2.6 billion$305 million$2.3 billion
2001$2.6 billion$388 million$2.2 billion
2002$2.5 billion$382 million$2.1 billion
2003$2.4 billion$374 million$2.1 billion
2004$2.7 billion$364 million$2.3 billion
2005$3 billion$464 million$2.6 billion
2006$3.6 billion$520 million$3.1 billion
2007$3.7 billion$652 million$3.1 billion
2008$4.1 billion$652 million$3.5 billion
2009$4.1 billion$517 million$3.6 billion
2010$4.8 billion$555 million$4.2 billion
2011$5.5 billion$1.3 billion$4.2 billion
2012$5.2 billion$625 million$4.5 billion
2013$5.8 billion$750 million$5 billion
2014$5.5 billion$733 million$4.7 billion
2015$6.4 billion$1 billion$5.4 billion
2016$6.2 billion$1.1 billion$5.2 billion
2017$6 billion$1.8 billion$4.2 billion
2018$6.4 billion$2.3 billion$4.1 billion
2019$6.9 billion$1.6 billion$5.2 billion
2020$6.3 billion$1.8 billion$4.5 billion
2021$8.7 billion$2.3 billion$6.4 billion
2022$11.7 billion$2.8 billion$9 billion
2023$8.6 billion$2.2 billion$6.4 billion
2024$8.7 billion$2.2 billion$6.5 billion

What they sell each other

What Bangladesh sells to the United States

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

  1. Men's suits and trousers$1.9 billion · 22.2%
    66 thousand tonnes
  2. Women's suits and dresses$1.1 billion · 12.4%
    40 thousand tonnes
  3. Sweaters and pullovers$707 million · 8.1%
    24 thousand tonnes
  4. Men's shirts$653 million · 7.5%
    15 thousand tonnes
  5. T-shirts$573 million · 6.6%
    21 thousand tonnes
  6. Knitted and felt hats$340 million · 3.9%
    8 thousand tonnes
  7. Women's knitted underwear and pajamas$243 million · 2.8%
    9 thousand tonnes
  8. Men's coats and jackets$243 million · 2.8%
    5 thousand tonnes
  9. Leather footwear$231 million · 2.7%
    6 thousand tonnes
  10. Women's knitted suits and dresses$202 million · 2.3%
    8 thousand tonnes

What the United States sells to Bangladesh

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

  1. Ferrous scrap$656 million · 30.1%
    1.8 million tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  2. Soybeans$349 million · 16%
    723 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Raw cotton$251 million · 11.5%
    130 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  4. Open-chain hydrocarbons$195 million · 9%
    421 thousand tonnes
  5. Natural gas and LPG$188 million · 8.6%
    214 thousand tonnes
  6. Starch, sugar and brewing residues$59 million · 2.7%
    165 thousand tonnes
  7. Kraft paper and paperboard$34 million · 1.6%
    65 thousand tonnes
  8. Wheat$34 million · 1.6%
    113 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  9. Chemical wood pulp$24 million · 1.1%
    31 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  10. Aircraft parts$23 million · 1.1%
    30 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Chittagong to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Chittagong and Los Angeles is 9,564 nautical miles (17,713 km) long: ≈ 22–28.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Passages it crosses: Strait of Malacca and Singapore.

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$9.8 billion · 90.6%
  2. Air$1 billion · 9.4%

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

How much each matters to the other

The United States was Bangladesh’s 3rd largest trading partner (9% of its trade), and Bangladesh was the United States’ 50th (0.2%).

The United States in Bangladesh’s trade
8.9%
The United States’ rank among Bangladesh’s partners
3rd
Bangladesh in the United States’ trade
0.2%
Bangladesh’s rank among the United States’ partners
50th

Compare with

Other partners of Bangladesh

Other partners of the United States

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.