Every few days, Bazlur Rashid Shawon spends hours waiting in line with his motorcycle to buy petrol. Six litres used to last him two weeks, but with many fuel stations limiting sales to two litres per customer, he has to queue up more often.
“The long hours waiting under the sun drain my energy and take away precious time from my busy days,” the 32-year-old pharmaceutical company employee told Climate Home News as he waited in a traffic jam on the way to work in the capital, Dhaka.
Bangladesh relies heavily on imports to meet its fuel needs and it has been badly affected by disruption in global energy markets since the start of the Iran war. Striving to stem demand for petrol and diesel, the government has ordered reduced working hours at offices and malls, while many fuel stations have been shut due to shortages.
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Import subsidies, abundant hydropower and charging investments have spurred EV adoption, with electric vehicles now making up about three-quarters of new car sales
The crisis could, however, give momentum to Bangladesh’s nascent efforts to ramp up electric transportation in the country of 175 million people, following in the footsteps of South Asian EV leaders such as Nepal.
Among the government’s energy-saving measures, it said it would scrap duties on imported electric buses for schools.
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In its latest national climate plan, Bangladesh says it wants electric cars to account for 30% of the market by 2035. By the same year, a quarter of the buses circulating on the capital’s roads should be electric, according to the country’s updated nationally determined contribution (NDC).
While the country has a long way to go on EV adoption, there are signs that the global oil shock triggered by the Middle East conflict has stirred interest among consumers.
Nepal’s EV revolution pays off as oil crisis causes pain at the pumps
In the capital, Dhaka, dealers of electric cars, scooters and three-wheelers told Climate Home News they had seen a rise in sales and customer enquiries over the last month.
Mohammad Salauddin, who has been in the Dhaka e-bike business for 10 years, said demand was weak when he started: only one or two bikes a month from his showroom in the city’s Hazaribagh area. With the fuel crunch, sales have risen to about 20 bikes a month.
He has now expanded his business, setting up another showroom elsewhere in the city, and said demand is outpacing supply.
“The demand will only rise in the coming days as people see the benefits of electric transport,” he said.
South Asia’s EV laggard
But despite the optimism of EV retailers, Bangladesh’s electric transport ambitions face numerous challenges – from scant charging infrastructure and policy incentives to high purchase costs and hesitance among consumers.
Bangladesh is a laggard on EV adoption in South Asia. EVs account for less than 1% of new vehicle sales, much lower than in neighbouring India, where statistics put EV penetration at about 8%. In Nepal, electric vehicles now make up about three-quarters of new car sales.
Registered e-bikes are few and far between and electric cars remain a niche segment. Millions of electric three-wheelers operate on the roads, but most of them are unregistered.
Last year, the government slashed import duties on components for e-bikes manufacturing and drafted a national electric vehicle policy spelling out incentives for manufacturing and importing EVs. But the policy is still waiting to be approved.
Growth barriers
Even if government policies are fully implemented, EV adoption faces other hurdles in Bangladesh.
Fuwad Hossain Saddam, who works at Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, has an e-bike and says it is the best option for short trips, but not for longer journeys.
“For commuting to the office, taking children to parks, or going to the market for shopping – e-bike,” he said. “For long distances, petrol-powered transport is the way to go.”
“Petrol is unlimited, e-bike is limited,” he said, adding that his older model stretches to only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) on a full charge, with charging taking six to seven hours.
Lack of charging infrastructure is one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption in Bangladesh, which has only 112 formal EV charging stations, though the count varies depending on how charging points are defined, said Nayeem Hossain, head of EV sales at Trade Intercontinental.
Most EVs in the country use lead-acid batteries, as opposed to faster-charging and longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries, he said, suggesting that battery-swapping facilities at fuel stations would be a quick way to encourage EV usage and adoption.
“This could enable people to rapidly increase the range and mileage of their EVs,” he said.
Offering a subsidised charging rate for EVs could also spur take-up and tackle use of unauthorised electricity connections – commonly used by the country’s legions of unregistered electric three-wheelers.
High initial purchase costs also make EVs a distant dream for many would-be buyers in Bangladesh, where the average monthly wage is 18,000 taka (about $146).
Raja Chowdhury, 35, a businessman, has used an electric scooter for seven years. He said he was happy with his purchase, but added that it was not something everyone can afford.
“If the budget allows, choose lithium; if not, start with acid batteries and save to upgrade later,” he said.
Until upfront costs come down and charging becomes easier, many riders like Shawon will delay making the switch to electric.
“For the time being, waiting in line for fuel seems to be the only option for me,” Shawon said.
The post Charging worries, high prices put brakes on EV growth in Bangladesh appeared first on Climate Home News.
Charging worries, high prices put brakes on EV growth in Bangladesh
Climate Change
Bowen urged to lead with vision and ambition to accelerate fossil fuel phase out at Bonn climate meeting, as global energy crisis bites
Bonn, Germany, Monday 8 June 2026 — As the UN climate negotiations in Bonn commence, Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling on Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen to lead with vision and ambition to advance multilateral climate cooperation, and use his unique position to drive concrete progress at COP31 and ensure a meaningful partnership with the Pacific.
In the context of a global energy crisis and turbulent geopolitics, the Bonn Climate Change Conference will be a critical moment to sustain emerging political momentum towards a just transition away from fossil fuels. The midway point on the road to COP31 in Türkiye in November, Bonn will be the first time Minister Bowen has attended a major UN conference in his role as COP31 President of Negotiations.
The start of the Bonn meetings also marks 100 days since the illegal US-Israel war on Iran sparked a global energy shock and after 57 countries including Australia met in Santa Marta, Colombia in April for the world’s first conference on the transition away from fossil fuels — a landmark moment signalling political winds of change in the face of threats to multilateralism.
Speaking from Bonn, Dr Simon Bradshaw, COP31 Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “Amidst a global energy crisis, accelerating climate disasters and a looming super El Niño, the urgency to accelerate climate action and break free from fossil fuel dependence has never been clearer.
“Minister Bowen has been telling Australia and the world that we are in a global ‘fossil fuel crisis’, and that unhooking from fossil fuels is fundamental both to tackling the climate crisis and to ensuring secure and affordable energy. It’s time to match that message with a clear vision and agenda for COP31 — one that has the transition away from fossil fuels at its heart.
“As COP31 President of Negotiations, Australia has both the opportunity and responsibility to build on the momentum of COP30 in Belém and the recent landmark conference in Santa Marta on transitioning away from fossil fuels. This includes leading by example at home, with an immediate halt to new fossil fuel projects — including the mammoth proposed Browse gas project — and committing to develop a national roadmap away from fossil fuel production.”
“Few countries have as much skin the game as Australia: we are a country highly vulnerable to extreme heat, fires, floods and other impacts of climate change, we are suffering the consequences of fossil fuel dependency in terms of our energy security and affordability, but we have some of the world’s best renewable energy opportunities.
“Bonn is a key moment for the incoming Presidency to start shaping the vision, building the necessary trust, and actively setting priorities and expectations for the COP. We therefore hope and expect our Minister to be much more vocal and active in Bonn.
“Australia, in partnership with the Pacific, is taking the reins of global climate cooperation at a critical moment in the world’s transition away from fossil fuels. There is no more time to lose.”
Also in Bonn, Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “Multilateral cooperation is the antidote to climate and geopolitical chaos. At Bonn, Pacific nations’ legacy of leadership from the frontlines of the climate crisis can be our guiding star as we build a more peaceful and secure world for all.
“We must build on the progress at Santa Marta and break the hold fossil fuels have on our global security and economies. Pacific nations are already facing the brunt of a global climate crisis, but now facing the compounding injustice of an energy crisis brought on by fossil fuel dependence. We did not create either of these crises, but are among the most exposed to both.
“The International Court of Justice made clear that responsibility to address the climate crisis extends beyond borders and that continuing to expand fossil fuel production, including for export, could constitute an internationally wrongful act — a ruling that has now been overwhelmingly endorsed by the UN General Assembly. Continuing down the fossil fuel path, and failing to align efforts with limiting warming to 1.5C, is a breach of our international legal obligations.
“We must not lose sight of what’s needed — by elevating the voices of Pacific leaders, backing Pacific-led solutions, and maximising the opportunity of the Pacific pre-COP, we can ensure the 1.5°C imperative and the transition away from fossil fuels are central to the agenda at COP31, and that communities are granted the finance they need to build a strong, resilient future beyond fossil fuels.”
Ahead of SB64, Greenpeace International has produced a policy briefing outlining the core elements of a just transition away from fossil fuels and the urgent, priority actions needed from national governments and through global co-operation to make it a reality.[1]
ENDS
[1] A Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels: Policy Briefing
Photos in the Greenpeace Media Library
Media contact
Kate O’Callaghan on +61 406 231 892 (Whatsapp/Signal) or kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org
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