A move has been taken to prepare a guideline to decide whether a two-wheeler or three-wheeler, built with at least one indigenously-made component, can be considered as locally-manufactured vehicle as the authority concerned often faces problem in dealing with application seeking recognition for this kind of vehicles as locally-made one.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) has initiated the move focusing mainly on safety and security of vehicles and roads and ensure branding of this type of mode of transport.
"Though we get application from some manufacturers claiming to be manufacturing motorcycles or three wheelers locally, we face problem in approving those due to lack of guidelines," said a ministry official.
He said the guideline will help authorities concerned to take right decisions about the applications and set criteria to be met by the applicants to get approval.
The Road Transport and Highways Division and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority sat with all stakeholders at BRTA headquarters in the capital on Wednesday and decided to form a three-member body to draft the guideline.
Sources said a checklist of the criteria to be met by the applicants will also be prepared following a directive of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The NBR considers a vehicle locally-made one if one of its five parts or segment is manufactured in the country.
It is claimed that there is no such locally-manufactured vehicle in the country. However, vehicles like battery-run three-wheelers and Nosimon-karimon are claimed to be indigenously-manufactured ones.
Sources said that some companies that assemble motorcycles in the country with imported parts claim their two-wheeler is manufactured here after meeting NBR's criteria.
Representatives of the mechanical departments of BUET, DUET, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Directorate of Environment and NBR attended the meeting.
"If types are set, it would be easier to inspect vehicles upon applications, the ministry official said dismissing the allegation that this will also legalise the widely-criticised Nosimon-Karimon and that kind of vehicles.
He said the body formed with representatives of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology and BRTA will complete the draft of the guideline within a week and share the draft with all other stakeholders before finalising it.
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