Automobile industry businesses on Monday said that shifting to electronic vehicles should be the aim as it eases fuel demand as well as affordability of personal transports.
They made the suggestion at a conference titled ‘Hi-Tech and Automobile: Investing in the Future of Manufacturing: Opportunities in Automobile and Hi-tech Manufacturing in Bangladesh’ on the third day of the Bangladesh Business Summit-2023 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital Dhaka.
Abdul Matlub Ahmad, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry said, ‘As the whole world is shifting towards developing electronic solutions for transportation, the emerging automobile industry of the county has also inclined towards electronic vehicles.’
‘Just as any emerging technology such as solar power solutions, the regulatory authorities must think about subsidising electronic vehicles,’ he said.
He said, ‘As electronic vehicle manufacturing is highly dependent on information technology industry, collaboration and funding of the tech and automobile giants are essential for this emerging industry.’
Mohammed Mesbah Uddin, chief marketing officer of Fair Group which manufactures Hyundai automobiles and Samsung appliances in the country, in his keynote said, ‘By 2027 the electricity capacity of Bangladesh will be at 37,390MW whereas the projected usage is 17,000MW, which is a clear indication that Bangladesh will be a prefect market for electronic vehicles.’
He said, ‘In spite of huge investment in roads, highways, bridges and other infrastructure, home grown vehicle manufacturing is still challenged by lack of skilled manpower, unavailability of raw materials in domestic market and shortage of research opportunities.’
The regulators must develop strong financing module to support EV expansion, charging stations at convenient locations and 220v household charging systems to create an EV ecosystem in the country, said Mesbah.
Hafizur Rahman Khan, chairperson of the Runner Group said, ‘In order to create strong backward linkage for the automobile industry, we need to start making spare parts, which will also create a strong potential for exports.’
Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, former managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, said, ‘The government has already taken several measures, including tax-free business opportunity for 10 years in the hi-tech parks, duty-free utility support and component imports, to attract foreign tech investments.’
‘Businesses from different countries such as China, the United States, Japan and India have already invested heavily in the sector, which proves the potential of a growing market,’ he said.
Prasad Palsokar, the managing director of Siemens Industrial Ltd, Bangladesh said that Bangladesh was very exposed to global original equipment manufacturers and investment in automations in those industries were essential.
‘Bangladesh should integrate automation in the very conception period so that the county can derive its full potential,’ said Prasad.
Yasir Azman, chief executive officer of Grameenphone said, ‘The growing hi-tech industry will need proper guidance and support from the government to attain the milestone of “Smart Bangladesh” by 2041.
This NEWS originally published in Dhaka based News Paper The New Age.
