Home ›› 05 Jan 2023 ›› Nation
PRAN-RFL Group’s second bicycle production factory in Gangachara upazila has opened a new door of employment in Rangpur region.
The factory, established in the upazila went on marketing amid a formal opening ceremony recently aiming to create employment opportunities for hundreds of vulnerable people in the region.
Apart from manufacturing bicycles, the 70,000-square-foot factory will manufacture frames, forks, tyres, tubes and other bicycle components. The factory has received an investment of Tk 600 million.
The company targets to employ around 1000 workforce in the unit when it will go into a full-fledged operation.
Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director (Marketing) of PRAN-RFL Group, said bicycle was a very popular common transport in rural Bangladesh once which was mainly imported from foreign countries. The tradition gradually declined with the changing of time and the socio-economic status of the people in the country. But the scenario gets a new shape as the urban people now prefer the two-wheelers considering the traffic congestion in city life, health benefit and the environment.
The transport demand increases by about 7-8 per cent each year in the domestic market. The new unit has a capacity of manufacturing three lakh pieces annually. With the new plant, the company’s total annual bicycle production capacity has stood at around 11 lakh pieces.
RFL Group has been manufacturing and marketing bicycles since 2014 and its first bicycle factory is located at Shayestaganj in Habiganj district and produces 0.80 million pieces of bicycles annually.
Currently, RFL-manufactured bicycles are being exported to 15 countries, including England, The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Belgium.
The group also exports components such as bike magnets, frames, forks, tyres, and tubes.
“We are trying to meet the domestic demand along with exports year after year,” Kamal added.
Kamal said policy support is very essential to develop the two-wheeler manufacturing industry in the country. Easy-term bank loans, allocation of land at cheaper rates, and tax benefits are much needed to flourish the business.
Many investors and entrepreneurs feel reluctant to invest in the bicycle business as a considerable amount of capital is required and takes time to generate a return from the investment.
Reduced import duty measures on components will encourage private investment and help the domestic market to grow.
He urged the government to frame out a business-friendly policy to promote the industry.
Managing Director of RFL Group RN Paul said,” The export earnings in the sector are gradually increasing which makes a considerable input to the national economy. The company exported $12 million worth of bicycles in the previous year.”
The sector of the country proves immense potential and it will reach a strong position in export soon. RFL Group wants to lead this sector, he hopes.
Amena Begum, 40, an operator in the bicycle plant said she was a housewife earlier. Her husband is a van-puller. They have lost their croplands in river erosion. They along with three kids have to face troubles to maintain the family. Now, she is employed in the bicycle plant and earns around Tk 10,000 each month. She has to work eight hours in the unit and gets a free lunch.
“I feel extremely happy as the job helps me to support the family expenditure including my kids’ education,” she added.
FBCC Senior Vice President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu said the bicycle plant will play a great role in creating job opportunities for the vulnerable people of the backtrack region.
