Bangladesh starts assembling world-class sedan cars at affordable price

With a view to making cars more affordable for local consumers, Bangladesh has started marketing the world-class, brand-new sedan cars.

To bring diversification to the automobile industry, the state-run top automobile company, Pragati Industries Limited (PIL), has started the assembling and marketing of the 1,600 cc CERATO model brand new sedan cars with the most modern features of the world-famous Korean KIA vehicle, and the car is now available at the sales centre of the company.

The price of the car is fixed at Tk45 lakh.

The information was formally disclosed at the 53rd annual meeting of the company held at the Bangladesh Steal and Engineering Corporation (BSEC) conference room in the city's Kawran Bazar on Thursday (26 December) with BSEC's and company Chairman Additional Secretary M Maniruzzaman in the chair, said an official release here today (28 December).

Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and senior industries secretary Zakia Sultana inaugurated the marketing of the sedan cars while visiting the new office and factory of the Pragati Industries Limited located at Chattogram on 29 November.

Taking part in the annual meeting, PIL Managing Director M Abul Kalam Azad said the Pragati is playing an important role in serving the country through marketing the vehicles in public and private sectors after assembling those automobiles.

Photo: BSS

Pragati Industries Limited has made significant profit this year amounting to Tk72.62 crore, he said, adding that the company has also deposited Taka 168.89 crore to the state treasury.

The Pragati board of directors and additional secretary M Shaminul Huq, additional secretary and transport commissioner M Abul Hasanat Humayun Kabir, additional secretary of the ministry of finance Dr Mohammad Abu Yousuf, joint secretary and director (finance) BSEC M Osman Gani, and joint secretary Farida Yasmin, among others, were present at the meeting.