Dhaka, Oct. 31 -- While garment exports falter, leather struggles, and agriculture slows, one sector is quietly bucking the trend. Bangladesh's engineering industry - long seen as a supporting sector - is emerging as a new pillar of the country's export basket.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data shows engineering product exports reached $165 million in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year, a striking 45percent increase from the same period last year. September alone saw a 36percent rise, defying the global slowdown.

The light-engineering sector now comprises nearly 80,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises, fueling an $8 billion domestic market growing at 28percent annually.

Globally, Bangladesh's presence is...