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Cracked windshields, empty wallets.
It's going to be hartal season in Dhaka soon, and that means burning cars, buses and lots of broken glass everywhere. We don't have a solution to protecting your car from the attacks (other than installing iron bars over the windows and transforming your daily driver into a post apocalyptic war machine), but we can at least give you peace of mind knowing where and how to get replacement windshields. Actually, peace of mind is a bit of a stretch. Prepare your wallets for torture.
If you belong to the millions of Toyota Corolla owners in Bangladesh, we have good news for you. As with everything Toyota, replacements are cheap and widely available The relatively newer model Corolla X/G NZEs from 2002-2006 have surprisingly cheap front and rear windshields, going at about 3000 to 4500 taka a piece For other common post 2002 Toyota cars, like the Allion, Premio, Axio, Probox and Fielder, the prices are pretty much the same with 500 taka differences in some cases due to stock limitations. For 2005 and above Allions and Premios, however, the prices can go up to as much as 7000 taka, because the later models came with windshield-mounted rearview mirrors.
Good news for owners of older cars: Corolla AE100 and AE110/111 owners can find replacement front windshields for less than 3000 taka. If you're the family man or have a rent-a-car business, microbuses like the Hiace and Noah have pretty cheap windshields, usually going for 3500 taka for front and 6500 for a full set (front and rear). Older model Noahs have several variations in rear windshield configurations, so depending on the model and grade, add or subtract 500 taka.
Windshields for entry level soft-roaders and small SUVs like the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CRV are available at somewhere around 4500 taka for fronts, with rear windshields usually being more expensive because of their, uhm, rear-ity. Big luxury offroaders like the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero have atmospherically high windshield prices, with the original ones priced at around 28,000 taka for just the front Better not take out the Prado for a drive during hartal violence, then.
Luxury sedans aren't exempt either. Any Toyota Crown or Mark II will set you back at least 12,000 taka for a windshield, newer ones will drain your cash reserves as fast as the 1-GFE engines on early model Crowns drain fuel reserves.
The prices mentioned here are predominantly Toyota, and there's a reason for that. Being a Honda or a Nissan owner in Bangladesh equals a hefty dent on the wallet, and replacement windshields offer no exceptions. Most of the shops here don't have these in stock, which means either importing them or scouring the dark depths of dusty underground warehouses in the hopes of finding a replacement.
As for the shops, you can find a huge row of specialised dealers opposite Rajarbagh Police Lines, near Malibagh. RK Auto Glass (01813855090), JCAuto Glass (01819312289), and Cheora Motors (01556329700) are just three of the smaller shops in the area. They're also friendlier than the bigger shops in the area.
So there you have it. Taping up your cracked windshield and covering the gaping holes with plastic sheets can only take you so far. Go get your new windshield and keep a hockey stick ready for the next person who tries to put a dent on your wallet.
Shaer Reaz