Bangladesh election brings hope for garment industry recovery after months of unrest and trade tariffs

Millions of Bangladeshi garment workers and employers are participating in a national election that is currently ongoing, with voting reported on Thursday, 11 Feb 2026. This election is viewed as a critical juncture for the nation’s economy, particularly as the Bangladesh garment sector has endured six consecutive months of falling exports. The decline has been driven by recent changes to United States US tariffs and persistent domestic political and labour unrest that have hampered production and investor confidence across Bangladesh BD.