Vietnam ranked over Bangladesh in UN-WTO report

DHAKA – Leaders from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) have questioned claims made in a joint UN-World Trade Organisation report which appears to relegate Bangladesh to a tier below Vietnam (and China) in terms of apparel sourcing. The report claims sourcing executives surveyed ranked Vietnam higher in 10 out of 12 indices, covering such issues as production quality, lead time, innovation, vertical integration and sustainability. The only two areas where Bangladesh beats Vietnam, its closest direct rival in apparel export terms, are price and tariff advantages.

The findings lead the authors to conclude that Bangladesh, along with other LDC countries such as Cambodia, are “part of [fashion’s] diverse sourcing base … Overall, China and Vietnam are regarded as more critical sourcing bases.”