Dhaka, 12 August 2025 – Bangladesh is moving towards a greener transport future and has expressed interest in working with Malaysia’s national carmaker, Proton Holdings Bhd, to bring electric vehicles (EVs) into the local market through investment and technology transfer.
During his three-day official visit to Malaysia, Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus met with Malaysian industry leaders to explore opportunities in EV collaboration. The proposal focuses on leveraging Proton’s newly launched e.MAS series to help Bangladesh reduce costs, improve access to EV technology, and create local manufacturing opportunities.
Currently, fully built EV imports into Bangladesh face high import duties of up to 89%, making them unaffordable for most consumers. By partnering with Proton to assemble EVs locally, Bangladesh aims to cut these costs significantly and stimulate wider adoption.
The Bangladeshi government is already preparing incentives for EV manufacturing, including a proposed tax holiday until 2040 and a reduction of duty on EV components to around 33%. These measures are part of the country’s target to achieve 30% EV penetration in its vehicle fleet and cut 3.39 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030.
Proton’s expertise and Malaysia’s growing EV capabilities are seen as strategic assets for Bangladesh, which hopes to not only assemble EVs but also establish a supply chain that can support parts manufacturing, job creation, and technology development.
Local assembly would allow Bangladeshi drivers to benefit from lower purchase prices, after-sales service, and potentially export opportunities in neighbouring markets.
