State-run Pragati Industries Limited is willing to assemble Pajero ASX model mini jeep which has a good demand in the local market, Pragati officials said.
The said that they sent a proposal for assembling Pajero ASX model mini jeep to Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, the Japanese manufacturers, in June.A 2000 cc Pajero ASX mini jeep would cost around Tk 46 lakh.
Pragati used to assemble only Pajero Sport CR45 but its production was recently suspended as Mitsubishi was not accepting Letters of Credit issued through Sonali Bank for the import of vehicle components.
They also said that Pragati wanted to create opportunity for people to buy various models of Pajero to be assembled in the country. For this, Pragati has sent a proposal to Mitsubishi to introduce Double Cabin Pick-up of about 2550 cc and Outlander of around 1360 cc, besides the mini jeep ASX model.
The estimated price of Doubla Cabin Pick-Up would be around Tk 69 lakh and Outlander at Tk 42 lakh.
Asked about the proposal, Pragati managing director AKM Solayman Hoque told New Age, ‘We have already sent the proposal to Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in June and the approval is still under process.’
A Pragati official said that at present Pragati is manufacturing chassis of buses and trucks as all the Pajero models assembling has been closed down.
Pragati needs to get the approval of Mitsubishi and start assembling mini jeep ASX model, Double Cabin Pick-Up and Outlander vehicles for the sake of the industry’s existence, he added.
The official also said that Pragati would like to assemble Double Cabin Pick-Up and Outlander vehicles for the government officials and mini jeep ASX for the affluent local customers.
Pragati had been importing CKD components for different Pajero models from Mitsubishi since 1995 under a long-term supply agreement.
But earlier in January 2012, Mitsubishi had completely stopped supplying Pragati with components for assembling Pajero V31 model which the company itself stopped producing due to poor demand for the model around the world.
Mitsubishi and Pragati signed a five-year agreement on July 8, 2010 for the production and sale of Pajero CR 45 — a sports utility vehicle.
The company started selling the vehicle in August 2011 at a price of around Tk 71 lakh and sold more than 218 such jeeps mainly to different government agencies till February this year.
Pragati officials said that Pragati spent Tk 208 crore 65 lakh for assembling vehicles and producing chassis in 2010-2011 fiscal while it sold vehicles at the cost of Tk 249 crore 17 lakh with Tk 31 crore 50 lakh profit. In 2011-12 fiscal year, it spent Tk 270 crore 48 lakh and sold vehicles at Tk 298 crore 76 lakh with Tk 37 lakh profit.
Moreover, in 2012-13 fiscal year Pragati spent Tk 277 crore 52 lakh and sold at Tk 343 crore 72 lakh. The profit reduced at Tk 25 crore 69 lakh in 2012-13 fiscal.
-With New Age input
