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World Cup boosts Bangladesh's exports to Germany
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-30 13:50

Bangladesh's exports in knitwear products to Germany have surged thanks to fans buying World Cup jerseys and other clothing, the industry's president said Thursday.

Knitwear exports surged 51 percent to US$805 million (euro640.41 million) during the 10-month period from July 2005 to April 2006, said Fazlul Haque, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

"The World Cup has created the opportunity to get such a higher growth in exports to Germany," Haque said.

The association has planned to hold a three-day trade fair in Germany in September to help maintain the momentum.

"I think through this fair in Germany, we will continue to get more market share," Haque said.

The impoverished country earns more than US$6 billion (euro4.77 billion) each year from exports in textiles, mainly to the United States and Europe, according to the government's Export Promotion Bureau.