Home ›› 17 Mar 2023 ›› News
The government has initiated a discussion at its policy level to decide on whether it would allow registration of motorcycles having an engine capacity up to 500cc.
Currently, motorcycle importers and manufacturers are selling motorbikes with an engine capacity up to 165cc in the local market, though they have permission to import parts and manufacture mid-sized motorcycles up to 500cc locally.
The motorcycle companies have long been urging the government to allow high CC motorcycles in Bangladesh. However, police and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) have been opposing the proposal on two grounds. The government turned down the request in the past.
BRTA has been arguing that higher CC motorbikes will increase the numbers of accidents as the roads in Bangladesh are not appropriate for motorcycles with greater capacity and speed.
They showed that motorcycle has been the prime cause of road accidents and fatalities over the years and higher CC motorcycles would accelerate it further.
Police on the other hand said that the premium segment bikes can be used by criminals in future to escape and police’s vehicles are not enough to catch them. Besides, it would increase crimes in the country.
Motorcycle assemblers, manufacturers and exporters were divided over permission for importing and selling higher CC bikes in Bangladesh as well.
Sources at the Road Transport and Highways Division said that an inter-ministerial meeting has been called on March 22 to discuss the issue.
Representatives from Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and National Board of Revenue (NBR), BRTA, police and Accident Research Institute of BUET have been invited to take part in the meeting.
A B M Amin Ullah Nuri, Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division, said they have not taken any concrete decision about allowing higher CC motorcycle registration. “We will talk about it in the meeting with the government stakeholders,” he said.
Biplob Kumar Roy, CEO of TVS Auto Bangladesh Ltd, said they had met high officials of the government over the issue.
They were given assurance that the issue would be discussed at an inter-ministerial meeting.
“We are hopeful about a positive decision from the government side,” said Biplob Kumar Roy, also General Secretary of Bangladesh Motorcycle Assemblers and Manufacturers' Association.
He claimed that the industry stakeholders--importers, manufacturers, assemblers--are no more divided over the issue. “We want the government to allow motorcycles up to 500-CC engine capacity on the roads.”
