Written by The Banking Post
PRAN-RFL Group is set to invest Tk 500 crore over the next three years to manufacture and market motorcycles and electric scooters in Bangladesh, marking its entry into the two-wheeler segment.
Under the plan, the group will produce and distribute motorcycles of Indian brand TVS in the local market and develop its own electric scooter brand, RYDO. A motorcycle assembly and manufacturing plant will be set up at the group’s Habiganj Industrial Park.
The initiative is expected to create direct and indirect employment for about 5,000 people.
RN Paul, managing director of RFL Group, said motorcycles and bicycles have evolved beyond basic transport and are now lifestyle products for young consumers.
Under a memorandum of understanding, PRAN-RFL will invest Tk 400 crore in phases to manufacture “Made in Bangladesh” TVS motorcycles. Mahmudur Rahman, chief operating officer of RFL’s bike business, said marketing of TVS motorcycles will begin by the end of February, while full-scale production at the Habiganj plant will start within the year. The initial production target is 5,000 units per month.
The group has already started assembling RYDO electric scooters with an initial investment of Tk 50 crore. Paul said the company aims to offer RYDO scooters at around Tk 50,000 by 2027 and plans to localise most components within a year to keep prices affordable.
To support electric mobility, PRAN-RFL is installing fast-charging stations at its retail outlets in partnership with Glafit Bangladesh Limited.
Bangladesh’s motorcycle market is currently valued at Tk 7,000–8,000 crore, growing at 16–17 percent annually. Industry estimates suggest national production capacity could reach one million units by 2027.
