Dhaka, November 13:

Riding on their export successes, Banglad-esh-made bicycles are ready to run at the IFMA Cologne Show in Germany. But the domestic market continues to be dominated by India and China.

Orders from Europe, particularly Germany, Sp-ain and Britain are being met in time for Christmas at two factories on the outskirts of Dhaka run by the Meghna Group. The German order for sophisticated bicycles is worth $13 million, according to the group’s chief M A Halim.

However, Chinese and Indian manufactures supply almost all bicycles ridden in Bangladesh, The Daily Star reported. For more than a decade, Trans-world Bicycle Co Ltd and Meghna Bangladesh Ltd — both part of the same group — first exported bicycle parts and then bicycles to Europe. The companies’ roots lie in the privatisation of the former government owned Bangladesh Cycle Ltd.

Halim said he faced manifold problems like staying competitive against Chinese and Indian cycles and being recognised as a manufacturer of sophisticated bicycles in Europe where Bangladesh has had no past record.

Quoting industry sources and the government’s Export Promotion Bureau, the newspaper

reported bicycles offer a huge export market and many younger entrepreneurs were preparing to enter it.