Bangladesh 2022. Government is Ready Opening Doors to 500cc Motorcycles
By
MCD Team
12 March 2022
Bangladesh Motorcycles
Bangladesh Motorcycles Market stopped the growth in the last two years due to the effects of covid by in the production capacity and consumer’s purchase power. The market fell down in the 2020, first time in years, by 9.3%, before to moderately recover in the 2021 (+0.6%) remaining just below the half a million sales.
Motorcycles Market Trend
The two wheelers represent the main individual mobility device in the country and has huge space for growing up in the next decade.
With a population of 167 million people and an annual GDP growth averaging over 7% in the last five years, and high remittance from expatriates, Bangladesh represents one of the World’s Top 5 emerging economy for the next decade. Despite doubled in the last five years, the pro capita income is still among the lowest in the World (US$1.829 in the 2019), but it is projected to double within the next five years.
The economic boom created a huge demand for individual mobility and the two-wheeler industry represents the most efficient solution, following the pathway already tracked by several others South Asian countries.
Fortunately, local governments have embraced this philosophy and have put in place a range of tax initiatives, import policies, incentives to innovation.
A decade ago the objective was to support the start-up of local production, creating barrier to imported vehicles and components, but in most recent years a more opened view has taken space and the government has reduced duties on imported parts (from 25% to 20%) and on imported models.
Bangladesh, as one of the rare countries in the world with motorcycle engine capacity restrictions, has been trying to remove such an obstacle since the end of last year following some investment proposals to manufacture high capacity bikes locally, while the companies do not find their plan feasible without local market sales.
Based on the Tariff Commission’s recommendation and applications from several new investors, the commerce ministry had initiated a move to allow up to 500CC bikes on local roads.
But the industries ministry opposed the idea to do it before the end of 2023 to ensure market protection for motorcycle assemblers and manufacturers.
Now, since the commerce ministry initiated change, investors are optimistic about getting rid of the restriction on highway-capable motorcycles, which are gaining in popularity with the development in road infrastructure across the country.
Meantime, the local market has stopped the growth in the last two years due to the effects of covid by in the production capacity and consumer’s purchase power. The market fell down in the 2020, first time in years, by 9.3%, before to moderately recover in the 2021 (+0.6%) remaining just below the half a million sales.
Motorcycles Manufacturing
The Indian
Bajaj Auto is producing locally since the 2015 and was immediately followed by TVS, Hero Motors, Suzuki and Yamaha.
The last to open a plant was Honda. Indeed, Honda opened its motorcycle plant in November 2018. The plant should be expanded in 2021 for a new capacity of 200,000 units/year.
Actually over 80% of two-wheelers sold in Bangladesh are locally manufactured.
In Bangladesh, the import duty is 45% keeping the motorcycles prices about 2.5 times higher than those in India. However, local manufacturers can agree with the government a discount on this duty, if they produce at least one fifth of the bike in the country.
Market evolution and perspectives
A decade ago, Bangladesh two-wheeler sales were below 10.000 units per year. Then the industry evolved rapidly, thanks to the investments of new local brands – like Runner and Walton, Indian two-wheeler companies –
Bajaj Auto,
Hero Motor and
TVS, and Japanese companies – Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda.
In the 2012 the market was already up 10 times compared with 5 years before, while kept steady growing until the 2016, when sales were not far from the quarter of a million.
However, the new policy established by the government in the 2017 changed the industry perspective immediately booming the demand, thanks to the cut of motorcycles price in a range of 20% (both for imported and local made models) and a new life started.
In the following years the market boomed up doubling volume to hit the 487.000 units in the 2018 and finally at over 549.000 units in the 2019.
While Japanese brands are growing, the market is literally dominated by Indian brands, with
Baja Auto leader with near 33% of share, followed by
Hero Motor and
TVS. Honda is fast growing and hold a market share near 11%.
There is a limit to the import of motorcycles with high engine displacement and this is the reason why top premium brands are not imported in the country. However, recently KTM landed in the country with 125 cc models.
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