Bicycle export witnessed 19pc growth last fiscal
Jasim Uddin Haroon | Sunday, 10 August 2008
The country's bicycle export is growing fast as the European buyers are looking for non-traditional countries like Bangladesh following rise in the manufacturing cost in China and Taiwan, industry sources said.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the country exported bicycles worth US$ 64.28 million in the just concluded fiscal year, up by 18.93 per cent over that of fiscal 2006-07.
Bangladesh exported around half a million bicycles in 2007-08, industry sources said.
There are four local companies producing sport quality bicycle for export only. However, the country imports around 300,000 bicycles from China and India to meet the local demand for such transport.
"There is huge demand for our bicycles in the European countries," said Halim Khan, executive director of Meghna Group, the country's premier bicycle manufacturer, told the FE Saturday.
Following huge potential, another big manufacturer - German Bangla bicycle Limited at Savar - is in final stage of production.
Currently, world's some of the leading companies including Raleigh of UK, Avocet Sports, PCM of UK, Motor and Sports of the UK, Aldi of Holland, Bachtenkirch Interbike of Germany, M&F De Scheemaeker of Belgium and Formula Cycling of Belgium are importing bicycles from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is also trying other potential markets like Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) through supplying bicycles in a limited scale.
The UK is a leading importer that imports bicycles worth around 220 million euro a year, the industry sources said.
Bangladesh alone exported bicycles worth 13 million euro to the UK in calendar 2007.
Bicycle industry is a light engineering sector and most of parts are locally available.
"We produce almost all parts locally and we are capable of manufacturing fashionable bicycles," Mr. Halim said.
Bangladesh is now manufacturing MTB, city bikes, free styles, trekking, folding, beach cruiser and kid bikes.
Industry insiders told the FE that Bangladesh can export around 2.0 million pieces of bicycles a year.
"We have potentials as the Chinese government is discouraging investment in such light engineering venture in their country," said Mohammed Ferdous Ahmed, a senior official at the Alita, a Malaysian company situated at Chittagong Export Processing Zone.
Mr Ferdous said labour is cheap in the country and the technology is easily adoptable.
Bangladesh bicycles industry employs both male and female workers. The ratio is 50:50.
However, Meghna Group, which has three units in Dhaka, each having capacity of producing around 100,000 a year, is planning to supply in the local market.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the country exported bicycles worth US$ 64.28 million in the just concluded fiscal year, up by 18.93 per cent over that of fiscal 2006-07.
Bangladesh exported around half a million bicycles in 2007-08, industry sources said.
There are four local companies producing sport quality bicycle for export only. However, the country imports around 300,000 bicycles from China and India to meet the local demand for such transport.
"There is huge demand for our bicycles in the European countries," said Halim Khan, executive director of Meghna Group, the country's premier bicycle manufacturer, told the FE Saturday.
Following huge potential, another big manufacturer - German Bangla bicycle Limited at Savar - is in final stage of production.
Currently, world's some of the leading companies including Raleigh of UK, Avocet Sports, PCM of UK, Motor and Sports of the UK, Aldi of Holland, Bachtenkirch Interbike of Germany, M&F De Scheemaeker of Belgium and Formula Cycling of Belgium are importing bicycles from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is also trying other potential markets like Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) through supplying bicycles in a limited scale.
The UK is a leading importer that imports bicycles worth around 220 million euro a year, the industry sources said.
Bangladesh alone exported bicycles worth 13 million euro to the UK in calendar 2007.
Bicycle industry is a light engineering sector and most of parts are locally available.
"We produce almost all parts locally and we are capable of manufacturing fashionable bicycles," Mr. Halim said.
Bangladesh is now manufacturing MTB, city bikes, free styles, trekking, folding, beach cruiser and kid bikes.
Industry insiders told the FE that Bangladesh can export around 2.0 million pieces of bicycles a year.
"We have potentials as the Chinese government is discouraging investment in such light engineering venture in their country," said Mohammed Ferdous Ahmed, a senior official at the Alita, a Malaysian company situated at Chittagong Export Processing Zone.
Mr Ferdous said labour is cheap in the country and the technology is easily adoptable.
Bangladesh bicycles industry employs both male and female workers. The ratio is 50:50.
However, Meghna Group, which has three units in Dhaka, each having capacity of producing around 100,000 a year, is planning to supply in the local market.