One of Bangladesh’s largest and most read Bangla newspaper does a disservice to its fine reputation when it reports false figures based on fictitious newspaper reports. A Bengali vernacular newspaper reported on November 16 that Vietnam had overtaken Bangladesh in apparel export, which is completely erroneous.

Without repeating the wrong figures published by the daily, we would like to point out that according to official figures, Bangldeshi garment exports between January and September stood at $26.1 billion while Vietnamese exports were worth $24.43 billion. Taking October into account, Bangladesh exports amounted to $27.63 billion while Vietnam was at $27.10 billion.

The newspaper report cites figures from a certain ‘Daily Viet Nam’, supposedly an English newspaper of South East Asian communist nation. We say supposedly because such a newspaper does not exist in that country, which is indeed advancing fast in apparel exports, but yet to overtake Bangladesh.

Much of the report does cite official US figures and discusses exports to the US market, implying that the US market is indicative for the global export records, which is not the case at all.

The BGMEA expects that the reputed Bangladeshi daily newspaper will own up to its grave error and publish correct figures. The reporter got the facts wrong, cited figures from a non-existent newspaper and misled readers with US figures to substantiate his false claim that Vietnam was ahead of Bangladesh in global apparel exports.