Competitiveness of the Bangladesh apparel industry during the COVID-19 pandemic: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

By using the NRCA index, this study investigates the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s top five apparel products during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, data were obtained from UN Comtrade and UNCTADstat, covering the period from 2015 to 2022. The findings show that Bangladesh’s share of the top five apparel products, classified as SITC 841, SITC 842, SITC 843, SITC 844, and SITC 845, and their competitiveness are increasing. Among Bangladesh’s top five clothing products, SITC 845 exports have been consistently increasing. This study also reveals that the Bangladesh apparel industry maintained its competitiveness despite ongoing global uncertainty.