Ifad Autos Ltd. has begun exporting buses from Bangladesh for the first time, with an initial shipment of 11 air-conditioned Ashok Leyland buses sent to Bhutan, according to a press release from the company. The Leyland bus bodies were produced at Ifad Autos’ manufacturing plant, marking Bangladesh’s entry into bus exports.
Chairman of the IFAD Group Iftekhar Ahmed Tipu said that this export represents a shift for Bangladesh, which has primarily imported buses in the past. Tipu indicated that with government support, Ifad Autos could expand its exports to additional markets. He also noted that countries including the Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, and India’s northeastern states have expressed interest in purchasing similar vehicles.
Ifad Autos began vehicle manufacturing in 2017 in Dhamrai, Dhaka, with technical support from Ashok Leyland. Initially focused on producing cars, the company has since expanded to bus manufacturing. Since 1985, Ifad Autos has distributed Ashok Leyland vehicles in Bangladesh, and it continues to be a significant player in the commercial vehicle sector.
The Dhamrai facility is currently the largest private commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in Bangladesh, according to the Ifad.
