In a city racing towards modernity, where sleek scooters and fuel-efficient commuters dominate the streets, Bhangari stands as a quiet rebellion. Co-founded by Sadman Sarker and Promito Rahman, Bhangari is not just a restoration workshop. It is a preservation project rooted in nostalgia, history and cultural responsibility.
We sat down with Sadman Sarker, one of the founders, to understand how a shared childhood memory of Vespa scooters evolved into a mission to revive Bangladesh’s vintage motorbike culture. Siad Ahmed conducted the interview.
The full interview follows…
TIMES: How did Bhangari come into existence and what inspired its founding?
Sadman: Bhangari was born out of a shared passion between two people who grew up watching Vespa scooters rule the streets of Dhaka. For us, Vespa wasn’t just a vehicle; it was part of the city’s rhythm. But around 2015, we noticed how quickly that charm was fading. Rising maintenance costs, scarcity of parts and a push towards modern alternatives slowly pushed these machines off the roads.
Both Promito and I enjoy solving problems, and restoring vintage bikes felt like the perfect intersection of passion and purpose. What started as a hobby gradually turned into something much bigger.
TIMES: When did restoration shift from a hobby to a formal venture?
Sadman: We had been restoring Vespas on a very small scale since 2017, maybe one or two bikes a year. It was never commercial; it was how we spent our quality time. But by 2022, Vespa had almost become extinct on the streets, and that hurt.
That’s when we decided these old engines deserved more love and care. In November 2022, we officially launched Bhangari to take restoration seriously and at scale.
TIMES: How extensive has Bhangari’s journey been so far?
Sadman: In our first two years of official operations, we’ve restored more than 50 vintage motorcycles. Each build comes with its own challenges, stories and learning curves. No two bikes are ever the same, and that’s what keeps the work exciting.
TIMES: Who typically comes to Bhangari for restoration?
Sadman: Everyone. That’s honestly the best way to describe our customer base. Some come with strict budgets; others want limitless, no-compromise builds. Our goal is not exclusivity-it’s accessibility. We provide tailored solutions that save customers time, effort and resources, whether they’re restoring a family heirloom or buying a vintage bike for the first time.
TIMES: Why is preserving vintage motorbike culture so important to you?
Sadman: Vintage bikes, especially Vespas, are symbols of Bangladesh’s pre and post-independence eras. They carried generations before us, both literally and culturally.
If we don’t preserve them properly, future generations will never understand what mobility, craftsmanship and street culture once looked like in this country. Restoration isn’t just mechanical work; it’s historical documentation.
TIMES: What does Bhangari mean to you personally?
Sadman: Bhangari is our passion project. I’m still a student at a reputable private university, while Promito works full-time at a private company. Despite that, we always make time for this. It’s where we reconnect with ourselves, with history and with each other.
TIMES: Do you have a personal favourite bike?
Sadman: That’s the hardest question. There’s no single answer, but a few that stand out include the Honda Roadmaster CD200, Yamaha RX115, Piaggio Vespa P150S, Vespa Sprint Veloce (1974), Vespa VBB (1961) and Vespa Super (1972). Each one has its own character, and choosing just one feels unfair.
