Major garment producer Bangladesh says US buyers halting orders

US buyers have begun halting orders from Bangladesh, the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, after punishing US tariffs that pushed the government in Dhaka to plead on Monday for a three-month pause to the levies.

Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hit hard in a student-led revolution that toppled the government last year.

US President Donald Trump hit Bangladesh with biting new tariffs of 37 percent on Wednesday, hiking duties from the previous 16 percent on cotton products.