BARVIDA Stages Nationwide Protest: 1,300 Businesses Close Over EV Import Ban

🚘 Around 1,300 member businesses of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Dinajpur remained closed as part of a nationwide protest against the government's ban on used and reconditioned electric vehicle imports. The protest marks the most significant escalation of BARVIDA's advocacy campaign since the August 24 announcement of the Import Policy Order 2026-2029.

📊 The protest also included a suspension of vehicle registration activities at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) involving vehicles sold by BARVIDA members. Importers also halted customs-related activities, including revenue payment, e-payment and the release of imported vehicles from ports, the association said. The multi-channel protest — closing businesses, suspending BRTA registrations, and halting customs activities — represents a coordinated shutdown of the reconditioned vehicle supply chain, sending a clear signal of the industry's economic weight and its willingness to bear the cost of disruption.

📜 Import Policy Order 2026-2029: The Trigger

The move followed the government's announcement on August 24 of the Import Policy Order 2026-2029, under which imports of used and reconditioned electric vehicles have been prohibited. BARVIDA President Abdul Haque said the ban would limit access to EV technology for consumers and make newer EVs less affordable for middle- and lower-middle-income households. He said reconditioned EVs could provide a relatively affordable option for consumers while also contributing to value addition in the economy.

• 👥 Businesses closed: ~1,300
• 📍 Cities affected: 11 (Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Sylhet, Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur)
• 🚫 Activities suspended: Business closure, BRTA registrations, port customs
• 📅 Import Policy Order: August 24, 2026
• 📊 BARVIDA EV market target: 30% by 2030
• 🌏 Reference model: New Zealand used vehicle import system

📜 BARVIDA's Position: Safety, Not Unrestricted Imports

According to Haque, expanding the EV market could help increase the share of electric vehicles in the country's motor vehicle sector to 30 percent by 2030 and contribute to the government's revenue collection target. BARVIDA Secretary General Riaz Rahman said the association was not seeking unrestricted imports of EVs. "We are not against the import of unsafe or low-quality EVs. We want opportunities to import safe, tested and standard-compliant EVs."

He said Bangladesh's EV policy should be based on safety, quality control, market competition, consumer protection, environmental considerations and revenue generation. Rahman cited New Zealand's system for importing used vehicles from Japan, where inspection and compliance requirements are used to regulate imports. He said Bangladesh could adopt a similar transparent and technology-neutral framework. "The issue is not whether a vehicle is new or reconditioned. What matters is whether the vehicle is safe, has a reliable battery and meets the prescribed standards," he said.

🌏 Strategic Context: EV Policy And Consumer Access

The BARVIDA protest underscores the tension between the government's effort to regulate EV imports for safety and quality reasons, and the industry's argument that a blanket ban on reconditioned EVs deprives middle-class consumers of affordable electric mobility options. The association's proposed alternative — a regulated framework with safety, battery health and quality standards, rather than an outright ban — aligns with international practice in countries that allow used EV imports subject to technical requirements.

BARVIDA leaders urged the government to withdraw the ban, saying they would otherwise continue with tougher programmes to protect the business and investment interests of reconditioned vehicle traders as well as consumers. The threat of "tougher programmes" suggests that the nationwide protest is an opening salvo rather than a one-time event — BARVIDA appears prepared to escalate its advocacy if the government does not respond to its demands.

For Bangladesh's broader EV transition strategy, the BARVIDA protest highlights the need for a more nuanced regulatory approach than an outright ban. A framework that distinguishes between safe and unsafe used EVs — through age limits, battery health certification, pre-clearance inspection and recycling obligations — would allow affordable EV access while protecting against the import of substandard vehicles. The coming weeks will reveal whether the government engages with BARVIDA's proposals or maintains the ban despite the industry's escalating protest.