Local eco-friendly motorbikes, auto-rickshaws soon

Commuters may soon see eco-friendly motorbikes and auto-rickshaws made in Bangladesh.
With a view to saving energy and reduce environment pollution, Bangladesh Diesel Plant (BDP), SIGS International and Lotus Bird will jointly manufacture battery run motorbikes and auto-rickshaws.
Lt Gen Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, chairman of BDP, formally inaugurated the joint project and two sample products yesterday at BDP ground in Gazipur.
No oil, engine or gas needed to run the bike or rickshaw. Highly powerful silicon gel batteries, controller and motor will help the vehicles to run, said the authorities.
A puller will be able to run the auto-rickshaw for 80 to 100 kilometres by charging the batteries for four to five hours, they added.
Battery run vehicles will bring long-term benefits for Bangladesh, Jahangir said.
A motorbike with 4 batteries will initially cost Tk. 60,000, while the auto-rickshaw will cost Tk 45,000.
Among others, Geng Yong Ding, president, Lotus Bird, Mohammad Abdul Gani, chairman, SICS International, Morshed Alam, chairman, Bengal Group and Rtv and Enayet Ullah Siddique, managing partner, SIGS International also spoke on the occasion.