Bhai Kapitaan - I am in and out of Bangladesh on business at least twice and more times a year. I keep up on what's going on in Bangladesh pretty well.
With all due respect, you have little idea about car buying preferences in Bangladesh. Come over sometime and you will get it.
Bangladesh has been an open car market for ages (like Pakistan, before 1971 even) - unlike India which went through Nehruvian license era protected auto-market syndrome for the benefit of licensed enterprises like Hindustan Motors and Premier Ltd. (company owned by Walchand-ji who was a Nehru buddy like Mr. Bajaj and Mr. Kirloskar).
Indian auto market has been liberalized for barely a decade and a half and is still (for some) an immature auto market. Before that Indians rode around in 50's era Amby's and antiquated Fiats known as Padmini Premiers. Attempts to market these vehicles in Bangladesh in 1971 did not go well (to put it diplomatically). The reason is that the sophistication of these cars hearkened back to an era right after WWII and was woefully inadequate compared to even older Toyotas from the late 60s like the Corona in use locally at that time (see below).
Although there was some auto-production in Bangladesh before 1971 (license production of the Vauxhall Viva), these were not sufficiently produced to meet local demand.
Bangladesh being a small market imported its needs (no engine under 1000 CC typically although the govt. tried to tax higher displacement vehicles anyway). In the 70's the bare minimum standard car was the Toyota Publica, like the rest of Asia (Again about 1000 CC).
There were literally no smaller cars in the market than this and the well-heeled actually looked down on the owners of these basic 1000 cc vehicles, although the Publica was a far more robust vehicle than the Maruti ever was (down a couple of notches in size class). From then on - most people aspired to larger cars (1600 cc and up). In the 80's and the 90's most car buyers were fortunate to have access to purchase reconditioned cars at very reasonable prices. Obviously most people at that time went for Toyota reconditioned Carina/Corona type mid-size models (1800 cc I believe). See below,
Most of the Bangladeshi PDF posters in the 1990's grew up with these large-size cars owned by their families. Ask Bangladeshis here - they will tell you.
In the 1980's, despite Maruti mini (800cc) 'revolution' happening in India, 'regular' (aam admi) car buyers in Bangladesh were never interested in this car (the common subscription was that this was money wasted on a 'disposable car'), especially with the early teething problems faced by the small size of the engine as well as early assembly issues. They simply used autos, buses and rickshaws for commutes.
Some folks did use the Toyota Corolla Station wagon in the 90's (cheapest car at 3.5 lakhs and 1200cc).
Still, no one thought about getting Marutis.
Corolla was the bare minimum back then. Now in the late 2010's because of better living standard, people expect even larger cars (at a minimum Corolla Ascent - see below). Repeated Indian attempts to sell Nano in Bangladesh has now become an object of ridicule.
Why go for a car that is similar to an auto-rickshaw in engine size and safety? That is what people in Bangladesh think of a Tata Nano. Again, waste of good money.
They have already tried to market it here twice, with disastrous results.
It's amusing to think you have an impression of the Bangladesh market as less 'sophisticated' than India.
The premise of the Nano (even as a city car) is flawed, especially when approached from a safety and durability perspective and when thought of in terms of local competition (reconditioned cars, which have a minimum lifespan of a decade).
