The Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) has called on the government to withdraw its ban on used and reconditioned electric vehicle (EV) imports, arguing that the restriction could limit access to lower-priced electric cars, reduce consumer choice, affect government revenue and influence the country's transition towards electric mobility.

At a press conference at Dhaka Club on September 9th, BARVIDA leaders said the Import Policy Order 2026-2029, published on August 24th, prohibited used and reconditioned EV imports, despite such vehicles being permitted under the previous policy.

BARVIDA President Abdul Haque described the decision as discriminatory and said the association had previously discussed the matter with the government. He claimed an agreement had been reached to allow the import of seven-year-old reconditioned EVs, although BARVIDA had presented information and arguments supporting a 10-year age limit. The association said Japanese EVs meet higher standards and quality requirements than vehicles from other manufacturing countries.

"All of a sudden, the ban has been imposed on us," Haque said.

He said BARVIDA members had been involved in the development of Bangladesh's automobile market through technological shifts from VVT-i to hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, but had again faced what the association considers discriminatory treatment under government policy.

Haque said the association initially sought permission to import used EVs up to five years old under a controlled system. BARVIDA has also called for the import regime to be reviewed after assessing the new policy's impact, with age limits and other conditions reassessed in consultation with industry stakeholders.

The association argued that used and reconditioned EVs are comparatively cheaper than new vehicles and could make electric mobility more accessible to middle- and lower-middle-income consumers. It said the outright ban could limit access to lower-priced vehicles and affect the wider economy.

"We want to do this business in the public interest and contribute revenue to the government," Haque said, adding that BARVIDA members were prepared to pay the required duties and taxes on imported EVs.

BARVIDA proposes regulated imports

Rather than an outright prohibition, BARVIDA has proposed a controlled import framework based on safety, environmental and technical standards. The association recommends limiting imported used EVs initially to vehicles no more than five years old, with a minimum battery state of health (SoH) of 70%. Battery SoH measures a battery's current maximum energy capacity and performance compared with its condition when new.

BARVIDA has also called for mandatory battery-life certification, pre-shipment inspection and certification by an authorised agency. It proposed prohibiting vehicles that have suffered flood, fire, serious accident or structural damage.

The association further called for international standards covering vehicle age, technical capacity, safety and environmental performance to apply to reconditioned EV imports. It also urged the government to establish a battery recycling and safe-disposal framework, maintain tax incentives for investment in EV charging stations, servicing facilities, battery diagnostics and battery recycling, and review the existing duty and tax structure for EVs in consultation with stakeholders.

BARVIDA said EV policy should consider several objectives, including reducing fuel consumption, conserving foreign currency, protecting the environment, encouraging investment and creating employment.

Arguments over Japanese reconditioned EVs

BARVIDA leaders said reconditioned EVs are already imported under various conditions in the UK, New Zealand, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. According to the association, the UK allows EV imports up to 10 years old, while New Zealand permits imports subject to certain conditions.

BARVIDA said reconditioned EVs exported to various countries in 2025 underwent inspection, battery-health certification and safety checks, with Sri Lanka described as the largest destination.

In another statement, Haque said Japanese reconditioned EVs have lower environmental impact, higher quality, reliability and affordability. BARVIDA said Japanese used EV batteries can retain 70-80% of their capacity after around 200,000 km of use over 10-15 years.

Haque also said EV batteries can remain operational for 15-16 years, depending on usage and maintenance. He argued that safety and reliability concerns should not be grounds for an outright ban because Japanese vehicles undergo established inspection procedures and can come with manufacturer-backed guarantees.

He pointed to the experience of reconditioned hybrid vehicles in Bangladesh, saying similar concerns were raised when those vehicles were first introduced but that they later became widely used and now account for a significant share of vehicles in the domestic market.

Concerns over market competition

BARVIDA leaders argued that reconditioned EVs could address gaps in the country's automobile industry, which has developed around vehicle imports, use and servicing, spare parts, technical expertise, assembly and continued production. Former BARVIDA president Abdul Mannan Chowdhury Khasru alleged that new EV importers had misled policymakers into banning reconditioned EVs, while referring to Japan's production of used vehicles.

Haque also alleged that certain business groups were seeking to create a monopoly in the automobile market by promoting only new vehicles and restricting competition from reconditioned models. Former BARVIDA President Abdul Mannan Chowdhury said EV imports should not be restricted merely to protect the interests of a particular group. He said the association had already discussed the issue with the Ministry of Commerce, but claimed that its concerns had not been adequately considered.

"We have discussed the matter with the Ministry of Commerce, but our concerns were not taken into consideration," he said.

BARVIDA is making the demand in cooperation with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), calling on the government to reconsider the policy in the interests of consumers. BARVIDA Secretary General Reazur Rahman said the association supports the government's objective of building a "Green Bangladesh", but argued that an outright ban on reconditioned EVs was not the appropriate approach.

"We also want a Green Bangladesh. But used and reconditioned electric vehicles should not be completely banned," he said.

Call for policy reversal

Haque said the association had submitted its demands to the relevant ministry and the highest levels of government and called for the restriction to be withdrawn in the public interest.

"The government should allow controlled imports of used and reconditioned EVs while maintaining safety, environmental and technical standards," he said.

He also warned that the ban could limit consumers' access to newer EV technologies and lower-priced vehicles, while affecting government revenue and competition in the automotive market.

BARVIDA's position is that reconditioned EVs should not be prohibited outright but brought under a regulated system with clear requirements for vehicle age, battery health, safety, environmental performance, pre-shipment inspection, certification and technical condition. The association said such a framework would allow Bangladesh to expand access to electric vehicles while addressing concerns over safety, battery condition, environmental impact and consumer protection.

Among those present at the press conference were BARVIDA Secretary General Reaz Rahman; former presidents Abdul Mannan Chowdhury Khasru and Md Habib Ullah Dawn; former secretaries general Mahbubul Haque Chowdhury Babar, Mohammad Habibur Rahman and Mohammad Shahidul Islam; and vice-presidents Mohammad Saiful Islam Samrat, Habibur Rahman Khan and Farid Ahmed.