CHITTAGONG: Country’s one of the industrial giants PHP Group is set to assemble Malaysian Proton cars locally.
In the car plant, to be setting up at Anowara upazilla at an estimated cost of Taka 400-crore, 1,200 cars will be assembled annually. Over several hundreds of employees including fifty specialized engineers will work at the plant.
A deal, in this regards, was signed on last Thursday at Selangor of Malaysia at Proton Centre of Excellence complex between PHP and Proton Group. Proton CEO Abdul Harith Abdullah and PHP board of management director Mohammad Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury signed the deal on behalf of their respective companies.
Mahathir Mohammad, Proton chairman and also former Malaysian prime minister, and Sufi Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, chairman of PHP family were also present in the signing ceremony.
PHP family vice-chairman Mohammad Mohsin Chowdhury, MD Akhtar Parvez Chowdhury and director Zahirul Islam Rinku were also present at the event.
In the deal signing ceremony, Proton CEO Abdul Harikh Abdullah said, ‘In Bangladesh, Proton will be assembled following international standard and keeping the quality and after ensuring the quality PHP will get the license.’
Bangladesh-assembled Proton Sedan will be branded as ‘Proton PHP’. It will be priced lesser than world famous Japanese Toyota reconditioned cars. Fuel cost will also be lessened. As the new cars it will not require fitness every year, this will save money, sufferings and time.
PHP vice-chairman Mohsin Chowdhury said, ‘If the car develops any trouble after running 25,000 kilometers then it will be repaired within 24 hours. There will be six show-rooms in six districts along with service centers. So there will be no hassle in getting spare parts.’
PHP automobiles managing director, a sister concern of PHP Group, Akhtar Parvez Hiru said, ‘Premier, Executive and Standard models of Proton PV will be marketed. Tarbo engines will be used in the cars. In our country most of the new and reconditioned cars are made of 1500-CC. But Sedan will be of 1600-CC which will be very much comfortable and fuel saving. The gear system will be of both auto and manual.
Chief executive of a multi-national shipping company further said that about 14 thousand to 15 thousand new or reconditioned cars are imported in Bangladesh through Chittagong port annually. Of them, 65-70 percent cars are reconditioned.
In 1985, Proton Saga started its journey in Malaysia. In that year 13 thousand Sedan cars were sold there inhabited by 4-crore people. Next year, the sale shot to 83 thousand cars, which was six times higher.
Proton at present manufactures cars according to the demands of the customers of UK, Middle East, Australia and for many other countries of Asia.
BDST: 1600 HRS, MAR 21, 2015
