BARVIDA shutdown over EV import ban

Members of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) on Thursday (September 17) staged a nationwide protest against the government’s decision to completely ban the import of used and reconditioned electric vehicles (EVs). 

The protest followed the 'Import Policy Order 2026–2029', issued by the government on August 24, which prohibits the import of used or reconditioned electric vehicles.


BARVIDA, in its press release issued on Thursday (September 17), said the decision would deprive consumers of access to newer vehicle technologies at relatively affordable prices and restrict the development of the country’s electric vehicle market.


As part of the protest, around 1,300 BARVIDA member businesses across the country remained closed on Thursday. The shutdown was observed across the country including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Dinajpur.


The association also suspended the registration of all types of motor vehicles sold by its members at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) offices. It further halted revenue payments, e-payment procedures and the release of imported vehicles from ports through customs houses as part of the demonstration.


BARVIDA argued that the high prices of new EVs put them beyond the reach of many middle- and lower-middle-income consumers. Reconditioned EVs, it said, could make electric mobility more accessible to a wider group of consumers, including professionals and ordinary buyers.


The association said the rapid expansion of the EV market could help Bangladesh achieve the government’s target of having electric vehicles account for 30 percent of vehicles in the motor vehicle sector by 2030, while also contributing to increased government revenue.
BARVIDA called for regulation and quality control instead 


of a blanket ban on reconditioned EV imports. “The core principles of Bangladesh’s import policy should be safety, quality control, market competition, consumer rights protection, environmental sustainability and revenue generation,” the association said.


The association stressed that it was not advocating the import of unsafe or substandard vehicles. Rather, it wants an opportunity to import safe, tested and quality-assured reconditioned EVs under a proper regulatory framework.


BARVIDA cited New Zealand as an example, saying the country regulates imports of used vehicles from Japan through inspection and compliance mechanisms. It said Bangladesh could introduce a similar transparent, technology-neutral and competitive system.


According to the association, the key consideration should not be whether an EV is new or reconditioned, but whether it is safe, has a properly functioning battery and meets prescribed technical and safety standards.
BARVIDA leaders expressed hope that the democratic government would withdraw the ban in the public interest.