User:Neflores1/sandbox1

Bangladesh is currently one of the top exporters of garments in the world, placing second after China. In a 2015 study by Khurram Shahzad, researchers compared countries' revealed comparative advantages (RCA) in regards to the textile industry using the Balassa's RCA Index with data derived from the World Trade database. They found that Bangladesh fell between Pakistan and India in regards to comparative advantages, but held the highest RCA for clothing. Private actors maintain a positive outlook on the industry, as the clothing sector has seen a positive growth in terms of RCA. Despite rating highly, Bangladesh's textile and clothing industries face several challenges that make access to their textile and clothing products unstable, such as a weak government and political turmoil. Private actors have speculated that Bangladesh will be one of the top sourcing spots for the next 5 years, as the clothing sector has seen a positive growth in terms of RCA and the country has a low cost of labor. Some Bangladeshi companies have purchased machinery and technology to increase efficiency, such as computerized cutting and spread machinery, sewing machines, and barcode-enable inventory management systems. Market access and trade policy have played a role in the growth of the Bangladeshi garment industry, as the country's garment exports are mainly concentrated in the United States and the European Union. However, the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) period showed that only 21 out of 52 firms export to a third market, while 66 out of 69 have exported to at least a third market, which indicates a diversification in the Bangladeshi garment industry.