Runner to assemble BYD vehicles in Bangladesh under new manufacturing deal

Runner says the project is still at an early stage. The feasibility study will determine the size of investment, funding structure, plant design, implementation timeline, and the final partnership model. A senior company official told local media that a more detailed plan is expected in April, and that the main objective is to manufacture BYD branded cars in Bangladesh in line with local regulatory requirements.

The planned venture comes at a time when Bangladesh is offering stronger policy support for local EV manufacturing. Recent budget measures reduced the duty and tax burden to around 33 percent for locally produced electric or hybrid vehicles that meet investment and value addition conditions, while imported electric and plug in hybrid cars still face much higher duties, reported at up to 89 percent. That gap has made local assembly or manufacturing far more attractive for carmakers looking to enter the market.

BYD already has a footprint in Bangladesh through CG Runner BD Ltd, which serves as its official local distributor. The company entered the market in 2024 and has since expanded its sales network. The new agreement signals a possible shift from pure distribution to local industrial production, with potential benefits in technology transfer, supplier development, and manufacturing capacity.

Investors responded quickly to the announcement. Runner’s share price rose about 10 percent to Tk 37.50 on the Dhaka Stock Exchange after the disclosure. Industry coverage also noted that Runner had earlier acquired land in Magura and near its Bhaluka facility in Mymensingh, preparations seen as supporting a future manufacturing project with a foreign partner.

Runner already has experience in vehicle production through its Bajaj three wheeler operations and also markets brands including Eicher, KTM, and Vespa. That existing automotive base could help if the BYD plan moves beyond feasibility and into plant construction and assembly.