Motorcycle sales decline in the country

Motorcycles are generally sold the most during the Eid season in the country as during this time, most brands offer special discounts and cashback facilities.

As a result, the demand for buying motorcycles also increases.

However, this time there have been some exceptions.

Compared to last year, motorcycle sales for this year's Eid-ul-Fitr have decreased by 8 per cent. However, sellers claim that sales dropped by 40 per cent in the current month of April.

A war started in the Middle East following an attack by the United States and Israel on Iran on 28 February, which led to a rise in global crude oil prices. Like many other countries, Bangladesh also imposed restrictions on fuel sales to vehicles to conserve fuel. Due to the fuel crisis, motorcycle and car drivers have to wait in line for hours to get fuel.

Officials from various motorcycle marketing companies said that the main reason for the drop in sales is the fuel crisis. Additionally, both transportation and LC costs for motorcycle imports have increased.

According to data from various industry-related organisations, 56,486 motorcycles were sold in March 2025 in the country for Eid-ul-Fitr. This year, Eid also fell in March 2026, and 51,958 motorcycles were sold, which is 4,528 or 8 per cent less than the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2025, from January to March, about 137,000 motorcycles were sold. This time, 124,000 units were sold in the same timeframe. Motorcycle sales have decreased by 13,000 or 9.7 per cent in the January-March quarter compared to the previous year.

When asked, Yamaha's Business Manager Hossain Mohammad told Prothom Alo, "Motorcycles are a necessary vehicle. So, even though motorcycle sales have temporarily decreased, they will increase again once the fuel crisis eases."

HMCL Niloy Bangladesh Limited manufactures Hero-branded motorcycles in the country, and it is marketed by Niloy Motors Limited. HMCL Niloy Bangladesh's company secretary and Niloy Motors Limited's CFO Vijay Kumar Mondal said, “Outside Dhaka, Hero motorcycles are sold the most in Rangpur, Jashore, Bogura, and Chattogram. In these districts, sales have decreased by 2-15 per cent due to the fuel crisis. If the crisis is not resolved, motorcycle sales may decrease by 10-15 per cent in April.”

Normally, two to three liters of fuel are provided from the sales centre after purchasing a motorcycle. However, due to the fuel crisis, filling stations are not supplying oil in containers. As a result, even if permitted, motorcycle sellers are struggling to collect fuel. Furthermore, the number of motorcycles coming in for servicing has also decreased.

Officials from multiple companies involved in the motorcycle business said that most motorcycle brands in the country cover their operational expenses with the revenue from servicing. Besides, with the decline in servicing, the sale of various parts has also dropped. Overall, the demand for motorcycle servicing has decreased by 20-25 per cent.

Shah Mohammad Asekur Rahman, Chief Marketing Officer of Bangladesh Honda Limited (BHL), a manufacturer of Honda motorcycles, said, "A decrease in servicing means reduced motorcycle usage. Even though buyers are interested, many are waiting due to the fuel crisis. In the first week of the current month, motorcycle sales were 50 per cent below target."

Visiting most motorcycle brand shops in the Tejgaon area of the capital, it is evident that there is not much crowd of buyers. However, some people come to see motorcycles, complete registration work, or receive various services. Many come for servicing.

At the flagship sales centre of Hero motorcycles in Tejgaon, it was found that they used to sell 12-15 motorcycles a day. This Eid, sales dropped below 10 units. Additionally, where more than 150 motorcycles were serviced daily before, it has now dropped below 100.

Niloy Motors Limited's retail in-charge Sheikh Habibur Rahman said, "Since April, motorcycle sales have decreased by about 20 per cent. Besides, after selling a new bike, we cannot provide enough fuel for buyers to go to the filling station."

At this Hero sales centre, Prothom Alo spoke to Amitava Haldar, a private employee who was there to check out a scooter for his sister. He said, “For those of us who have small jobs, motorcycles are a necessary vehicle. Even if fuel is unavailable or prices rise, the use of motorcycles cannot be stopped.”

ACI Motors is the official distributor of Yamaha motorcycles in the country. About 15 models of motorcycles are sold at their flagship sales centre in Tejgaon. There was a noticeable lack of customer presence at the sales centre. The company used to sell an average of 15 motorcycles a day, which has now dropped to 8-10 units.

Marketing officer of this sales center, Mahabubur Rahman, said, "Sales dropped initially due to the fuel crisis. However, there is now growth in sales."