Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) has demanded a reduction in customs duties and taxes on the import of fuel-efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the national budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027. BARVIDA believes that individuals and the state will benefit greatly from using these vehicles in the current fuel crisis. BARVIDA leaders have also demanded the complete withdrawal of supplementary duties on microbuses used as public transport and in various industrial and educational institutions. BARVIDA, as a leading revenue-generating sector in the country, has pledged to provide more revenue to the government subject to receiving the necessary policy support, a press release said.
This morning (2-5-2026), the organization’s president, Abdul Haque, made these statements at a press conference organized by Barvida at a local restaurant. The organization’s secretary general, vice presidents and executive members were present at the press conference.
In the past few years, despite consumer demand due to the global economic situation, the increase in foreign exchange rates and the increase in vehicle prices in the producing countries, the import and sale of reconditioned motor vehicles in the country has decreased significantly. As a result, the livelihoods of car importers as well as about 3 lakh people associated with this sector have also been put at risk. Although the motor vehicle market was supposed to expand with the development of the country, it has actually shrunk. The growth of the motor vehicle sector is an economic indicator of a country. Declining motor vehicle sales mean that people’s purchasing power is decreasing. As a result, there is negative growth in the government’s revenue.
In this context, the reconditioned car import sector is seeking appropriate policy support in the budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027 in a challenging situation.
At the press conference, the Barvida President said that for more than 4 decades, Barvida has been making a significant contribution to the development of the country’s transport sector by importing and marketing world-famous reconditioned cars from Japan on a commercial basis. He said that the way Barvida members are conducting business is a kind of social business, where there is no monopoly. In addition to supporting the smooth development of the country’s transport sector, employment of a large group of people in the process of importing and marketing cars, the multifaceted needs of consumers are being met and the government is also benefiting through revenue. That is, a big economy is involved here. On the other hand, there is a monopoly in this regard as there are few dealers in the country in importing and selling new cars.
At the press conference, the Barvida President said that in the current fuel crisis situation, if the customs duty rates of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles are revised, the import of these vehicles will be easily available, buyers will get cars at affordable prices and the government’s revenue will increase due to increased sales. At the press conference, a demand was made for the complete withdrawal of the supplementary duty on microbuses, which are widely used as public transport and in industrial and commercial establishments, so that this widely needed vehicle across the country remains within the purchasing range of buyers. Barvida also appealed for the customs duty on pick-ups used as commercial vehicles to be set at the lowest level.
At the press conference, Barvida leaders demanded that the age of importable vehicles be increased from 5 years to 8 years by amending the current import policy. They said that since the production of cars in Japan has decreased in the post-Covid period and the price of Japanese cars has increased in the world market, increasing the age limit of importable cars will save valuable foreign currency, the price of cars in the domestic market will decrease significantly and the government’s revenue from customs duties and VAT will increase significantly.
Regarding the plan to establish a new car industry in the country, Barvida said that the current car market in the country is 25-30 thousand. It will be reasonable to establish a new car industry in the country only if the domestic market is 1 lakh units by creating a middle class through well-thought-out planning in the country. The car assembly industry can be established in the country. However, the Barvida leaders expressed the opinion that special attention should be paid to ensuring that no attempt is made to establish a screw driving industry by importing CKD (Complete Knockdown) in the government’s initiative to establish a new car industry.
The press conference was attended by the Association’s Secretary General Riaz Rahman, Vice President-1 Md. Saiful Islam (Samrat), Vice President-2 Dr. Habibur Rahman Khan, Vice President-3 Farid Ahmed, Joint Secretary General Syed Jaglul Hossain, Treasurer Md. Saiful Alam, Joint Treasurer Hafiz Al Asad, Organizing Secretary Jobayer Rahman, Publication and Publicity Secretary Md. Abdul Awal and Planning and Development Secretary S. M. Mansurul Karim (Lincoln).
The executive members of the organization are A. B. Siddique (Abu), Md. Akhter Hossain Majumder, Poonam Sharmin Jhilmil, Zahir Uddin Md. Babar Chowdhury, Md. Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, K. M. Shafiullah (Roni) and Dibakar Barua were present.
