[🇧🇩] Automobile Industry of Bangladesh including parts

[Saif]

As I've mentioned many times, Bangladeshi companies should be discouraged from bringing in previously value-added sub-assemblies from countries like India via policy non-support. Broken-down discrete parts can be imported (as opposed to wholly assembled suspension or engine units) or better yet, assembled from local parts (at some point, if not already). There are gradual tariff schedules that NBR knows how to impose for this.

Hyundai Creta sub-assemblies from India are being screwed together in this factory to make Hyundai Creta vehicles which neither helps Tech-knowledge-transfer, neither adds barely any value, because Indian workers are adding majority of the value here and Indian Hyundai assembler gains most of the profit.

I thought our companies are bringing assembly plants for Hyundai car directly from South Korea. Our companies should avoid India by all means because India is a hostile country and not favorable for our national interest.

 

[Bilal9]

I thought our companies are bringing assembly plants for Hyundai car directly from South Korea. Our companies should avoid India by all means because India is a hostile country and not favorable for our national interest.

Some of our businessmen including these Fair Group idiots are RAW agents. They have secret connections with Indian companies (including Hyundai Motors India). This is the connection between HMIL and Fair Group. It mentions that HMIL India head was present in their factory inauguration which means production from Indian parts.

https://www.jagonews24.com/en/business/news/66353

I thought our companies are bringing assembly plants for Hyundai car directly from South Korea. Our companies should avoid India by all means because India is a hostile country and not favorable for our national interest.

These Fair Group idiots import parts (sub-assemblies) from Hyundai Motors India (HMIL). They should easily change source to Hyundai Motors Indonesia but they won't. A Hyundai Creta costs 17~19 Lakh rupees in India. Whereas same thing costs 37 Lakh Taka in Bangladesh (almost double). Talk about Highway Robbery! The govt. should shut down this idiot's operation (another India RAW agent), word is that he was a big Awami League cadre back in the day, which is how he made his money. I could wrong though. Here is his ugly fat overfed mug. Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub, Chairman, Fair Group.

 

[Saif]

Some of our businessmen including these Fair Group idiots are RAW agents. They have secret connections with Indian companies (including Hyundai Motors India). This is the connection between HMIL and Fair Group. It mentions that HMIL India head was present in their factory inauguration which means production from Indian parts.

https://www.jagonews24.com/en/business/news/66353

These Fair Group idiots import parts (sub-assemblies) from Hyundai Motors India (HMIL). They should easily change source to Hyundai Motors Indonesia but they won't. A Hyundai Creta costs 17~19 Lakh rupees in India. Whereas same thing costs 37 Lakh Taka in Bangladesh (almost double). Talk about Highway Robbery! The govt. should shut down this idiot's operation (another India RAW agent), word is that he was a big Awami League cadre back in the day, which is how he made his money. I could wrong though. Here is his ugly fat overfed mug. Ruhul Alam Al Mahbub, Chairman, Fair Group.

View attachment 19232

The government should file a corruption case against this guy at the soonest. No Awami goons are allowed in Bangladesh. Bangladesh should buy Chinese EVs with tech transfer to build an automobile industry in the country.

 

[Saif]

‘Policy gaps weigh on auto industry’

Despite its potential to accelerate economic growth, Bangladesh’s automobile sector remains constrained by the absence of a conducive national policy, keeping logistics costs among the highest in the world.

www.thedailystar.net

‘Policy gaps weigh on auto industry’

Despite its potential to accelerate economic growth, Bangladesh's automobile sector remains constrained by the absence of a conducive national policy, keeping logistics costs among the highest in the world.

"As Bangladesh aspires to become an upper-middle-income country and is set to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC), a robust automobile industry policy is no longer optional. It is urgent," said M Masrur Reaz, chairman and CEO of Policy Exchange Bangladesh (PEB), a private sector economic and investment advisory platform, at a discussion on conducive automobile policies for green growth and a competitive economy.

The discussion was organised by the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) and PEB at the ERF auditorium in Dhaka yesterday.

He said Bangladesh stands to lose a lot of preferential market access after LDC graduation, making efficient logistics and competitive transport systems indispensable for its export sustainability.

Yet, logistics costs remain among the highest globally. In some key sectors, costs are up to 48 percent of sales.

"A vibrant automobile sector, backed by smart, inclusive policy, is essential not just for safer roads but for a greener, more resilient Bangladesh."

Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin said Bangladesh must rethink its industrial policy.

Referring to the automobile sector, he said, "Placing foreign kits on local frames is not real manufacturing."

"Our economy needs productivity-driven investment, not vanity infrastructure," he added.

Bashir said Bangladesh pays $27 billion yearly for freight while local shipowners earn just $1 billion.

Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, said they spend more on logistics than any other country. The logistics cost here even surpasses that of the United States.

Matiur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Motorcycle Manufacturers and Assemblers Association, criticised authorities for the lack of implementation of the automobile policy.

This hinders the growth of the automobile industry, he said.

Rizwan Rahman, former president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called for prioritising environment-friendly public transport over private vehicles.

ERF President Doulot Akter Mala chaired the event.​

 

[Saif]

Buet-designed battery-run rickshaws set to roll out in Paltan, Dhanmondi, Uttara

DNCC administrator said the newly designed rickshaws are expected to begin operating from early August

www.thedailystar.net

Buet-designed battery-run rickshaws set to roll out in Paltan, Dhanmondi, Uttara

Photo: Collected

Battery-run auto-rickshaws, developed by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), will soon hit the streets of Paltan, Dhanmondi, and Uttara in a pilot initiative aimed at streamlining urban transport.

LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain made the announcement at a programme held at the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) headquarters today.

Photo: Collected

The event marked the inauguration of a training programme for drivers of these electric rickshaws, organised by the DNCC.

Asif Mahmud said, "Unlike the current unregulated system, each area will have a designated number of rickshaws. We are committed to ensuring that drivers are not subjected to extortion or any form of harassment."

Photo: Collected

DNCC Administrator Mohammad Azaz said the newly designed rickshaws are expected to begin operating from early August.

"We aim to train and licence one lakh auto-rickshaw drivers under this initiative," he said.

He added that work is underway to set up charging stations, ensuring the vehicles are powered only at approved points.​

 

[Saif]

The first motor car on the streets of Dhaka

Before we delve into the story of the first motor car in Dhaka, it’s worth exploring an earlier question: When did four-wheelers first appear on the city’s roads?

www.thedailystar.net

The first motor car on the streets of Dhaka

Nawab Salimullah’s motorcade in Dhaka with Lady Curzon and Lord Curzon in 1904 Photo: Fritz Kapp

Before we delve into the story of the first motor car in Dhaka, it's worth exploring an earlier question: When did four-wheelers first appear on the city's roads?

Back in 1790, the Collector of Dhaka noted that a group of soldiers stationed in the city had introduced a hired horse-drawn carriage service. It was likely established to transport goods from Begunbari in Tejgaon -- then an army quarters -- to the main city. However, this service did not last long.

Still, by the early 19th century, Dhaka did have at least one known horse-drawn carriage. During his visit in 1824, Bishop Heber of Calcutta noted that the Naib Nazim of Dhaka used an old landau carriage drawn by four horses of Shamsuddaula.

But for a more structured public transportation system, Dhaka had to wait a bit longer. The credit for this goes largely to an Armenian businessman named Shircore, who introduced thika gari (rental carriages) around 1856. His business, Harmony Carriage, quickly became profitable, inspiring other local businessmen to follow suit.

By 1867, about 60 rental carriages were operating in Dhaka; by 1878 this number had grown to 300, and a decade later, it had doubled.

As with horse-drawn carriages, the introduction of motor vehicles in Dhaka followed the lead of Kolkata. According to Radharaman Mitra's "Kolkata Darpan", the first passenger motor vehicle appeared on the streets of Kolkata in 1896, though some accounts suggest it was 1897. That vehicle, used during British rule, was made by the French company De Dion-Bouton. The De Dion model was first introduced in Kolkata by H H Reynolds, and the first Bengali to purchase a motor vehicle was C Basak.

Naturally, this leads to a key question: When did the first motor car appear in Dhaka?

Could it have been in 1904?

On February 18 of that year, the Viceroy Lord Curzon arrived in Dhaka with his wife, Lady Curzon. The Nawabs' garden house in Shahbagh was lavishly decorated for the occasion. To honour the visit, Nawab Khwaja Salimullah purchased several motor cars from Kolkata. In a historic photograph, Lady Curzon is seen with her hand on the steering wheel, Lord Curzon standing beside her, and four cars parked in front of the house.

However, a slightly different account is found in the autobiography of British car dealer Montague Grahame-White, "At the Wheel Ashore and Afloat: Reminiscences of Motoring, Yachting and Travel Over a Period of Forty Years".

According to him, the Nawab didn't buy the cars in haste for the Viceroy's visit. In fact, the decision came after a carefully considered plan.

In January 1903, Nawab Salimullah met Montague Grahame-White. Inspired by their meeting, the Nawab decided to purchase motor vehicles. By the end of that year, three cars ordered by him had arrived at Ahsan Manzil. According to "The Motor Magazine (1943)", these included a 10-horsepower and a 15-horsepower Mors, and an 8-horsepower Renault.

As mentioned earlier, in 1904, Nawab Khwaja Salimullah showcased his newly purchased automobiles at his Shahbagh garden house. This historic moment was captured by the renowned German photographer Fritz Kapp. These early automobiles thus became silent witnesses to Dhaka's evolving history. By 1915–16, the number of cars in Bengal had exceeded 1,000. Car manufacturers began organising roadshows, distributing flyers, and launching promotions to expand the market. Over time, the fascination with automobiles spread to other parts of the region.​

 

[Saif]

Made in Bangladesh Mitsubishi Xpander launched

Rancon Auto Industries has officially launched the Bangladeshi-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander, a seven-seater family SUV powered by a 1.5L MIVEC engine.

www.thedailystar.net

Made in Bangladesh Mitsubishi Xpander launched

Photos: Md. Zahidur Rabbi.

Rancon Auto Industries has officially launched the Bangladeshi-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander, a seven-seater family SUV powered by a 1.5L MIVEC engine.

According to a press release, all units of the Mitsubishi Xpander are being manufactured at the 52-acre RANCON Industrial Park in Gazipur, which also houses production lines for global brands such as Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz bus chassis, Proton, JAC, LG, and Toshiba.

Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, said, "This is just the beginning of a promising journey. With Dual AC, Xpander is engineered specifically for ASEAN markets and has received an overwhelmingly positive response across the region. Bangladesh has a proven track record. Together with RANCON, we look forward to building a future of excellence and reliability with the Bangladeshi-made Xpander."

Mentioning Rancon being the official distributor of Mitsubishi Motors in Bangladesh for the last 50 years, Romo Rouf Chowdhury, GMD of RANCON, said, "We've built the best-in-class paint shop, assembly lines, and a team of professionals trained directly by Japanese experts. Each Xpander has a 5-year warranty and 2 years of servicing included. With 11 after-sales service touchpoints, we want to ensure safety, quality, and value for the people of Bangladesh."

Mitsubishi SUV Bangladesh

The Bangladeshi-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander is currently available at a special introductory price of BDT 34 lakh.​