TATA and its business partner in Bangladesh, Nitol Niloy Group, yesterday launched their new commercial vehicle, geared toward small businesses here.
Powered by a 611 cubic centimetre water-cooled engine, the TATA Ace Zip Pickup is the smallest commercial vehicle of TATA, with a payload capacity of up to 600kg, said
Abdul Matlub Ahmad, chairman of Nitol-Niloy Group.
“It is a commercial vehicle to promote small businesses like agriculture in rural areas. Businessmen will able to transport their products easily from the warehouse to
the city by this pickup.”
The pickup will sell at Tk 6.50 lakh, with the first 100 customers getting the opportunity to collect the pickup after a down payment of Tk 1 lakh.
“We are expecting a large number of pickups will be sold in Bangladesh,” Ahmad said, while urging the government to reduce the registration fee for commercial vehicles
and restructure the import duty for spare parts.
Rudrarup Maitra, the South Asian regional head of TATA Motors, said the Ace Zip is a new innovation in Asia, which can be navigated easily in the narrow roads of the
cities and villages.
“This new invention of TATA will be the alternative commercial vehicle to Nasimon, Karimon and Chander-gari in rural areas,” said Md Ayubur Rahman Khan, chairman of
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
He, however, urged Nitol Niloy Group to introduce special awareness programmes to prevent road accidents in Bangladesh.
“Ace Zip Pickup will add an extra dimension to our transportation sector,” Communications Minister Obaidul Quader said at the launch ceremony.
Meanwhile, Quader revealed government plans to bring in 1,000 taxis in October to provide cab service to the city’s people under the supervision of BRTA.
“Bangladesh Road Transport Communication has taken decision to bring 1,000 trucks,” Quader added, while calling the sector’s stakeholders to hold extensive awareness
programmes to avert unexpected accidents.
He also informed that digital number plates will be introduced for all vehicles soon, to ensure proper discipline in the transport sector.
-With The Daily Star input
