Barvida Car Expo begins at ICCB in Dhaka, importers demand end to discrimination in reconditioned car policy

The 'Barvida Car Expo 2026' began on Thursday (5 November) at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital. The Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (Barvida) has organized the three-day exhibition, which will run until 7 November. Barvida gave the information in a press release.

At the opening ceremony, importers demanded that a 'discriminatory viewpoint' be dropped in policymaking for importing reconditioned cars from Japan. They said that if facilities are given for importing the small 660cc cars known in Japan as 'kei cars', the dominance of battery-run rickshaws on city roads could be reduced.

At the opening ceremony, Barvida leaders highlighted the 50-year contribution of Japanese reconditioned cars to Bangladesh's economy and development. Barvida President Abdul Haque chaired the event.

NRB Bank Managing Director Tarek Riaz Khan, Rupali Insurance Company adviser P K Roy and Pubali Bank's head of consumer credit scheme Malekul Islam spoke at the event. Former Barvida presidents Abdul Mannan Chowdhury Khusru and Md Habib Ullah Don and former secretary Mahbubul Haque Chowdhury Babar also spoke. Barvida Secretary General Riaz Rahman conducted the event.

The organizers said reconditioned cars of various popular Japanese brands have been kept at the exhibition. They include the Toyota Prius, Corolla Cross, Harrier, Noah, Voxy and Alphard. Visitors can see cars from different organizations in one place and compare features, technology and prices by model.

Barvida said the aim of the event is to make car buying and selling easier, more transparent and more buyer-friendly. Representatives of banks and insurance organizations have also taken part in the exhibition.

In Japan, a kei car is a type of small car whose engine capacity is a maximum of 660cc. Small in size, fuel-efficient and relatively low in price, these cars are quite popular in Japan. Barvida leaders argue that if such cars can be imported easily, an alternative to battery-run rickshaws will be created in cities.

Barvida has opposed government policy several times this year. In the import policy order (2026-2029) published on 24 August, the import of used and reconditioned electric cars was completely banned. The previous policy had allowed such imports. New electric cars, however, can still be imported.

Calling the decision discriminatory, Barvida held a press conference and a human chain. In September, the organization also observed a work stoppage by closing showrooms across the country. Barvida proposes that imports of electric cars at least five years old be allowed, with a condition that battery capacity be at least 70 percent.

Earlier, the budget for the current 2026-27 fiscal year proposed increasing duty and tax on medium-capacity fossil-fuelled reconditioned cars. Barvida opposed that too. The organization alleges that for plug-in hybrid cars, new cars were given a duty exemption but reconditioned cars did not get that facility. As a result, in some cases a reconditioned car costs more than a new car, they claim.

Under the current policy, cars up to five years old can be imported. Barvida has long demanded that this age limit be raised to eight years. The organization claims there is domestic investment of about Tk 20,000 crore in the reconditioned car import and marketing sector.