To choose the right truck, start with the job, not the truck. Work out how heavy the load is and how much space it takes, decide whether it needs a covered body, then check when and where the truck must run. In Bangladesh, most loads up to 1 ton fit a 7 or 9 ft pickup, a two-room home fits a 12 ft truck, a three to four room home fits a 14 ft truck, and heavy freight such as cement and rods needs a 16 to 23 ft truck. Inside Dhaka, trucks longer than 12 ft can only be booked for trips after 10:00 PM on Truck Lagbe.
This guide walks through the decision in seven steps, with worked examples, the mistakes that cost money, and current 2026 fares.
Which truck do you need? A quick chooser
| Your job | Truck to start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A fridge, motorcycle or a few boxes | 7 ft pickup, 1 ton | Lowest fare, fixed price in Dhaka |
| Bachelor or one-room move | 9 ft pickup or covered van, 1 ton | More deck for bulky items |
| Two-room flat | 12 ft truck or covered van, 2 tons | Space runs out before weight; can run in daytime |
| Three to four room home | 14 ft truck, 3.5 tons | Full furniture in one trip |
| Shop or market stock | 9 or 12 ft truck | Frequent short city trips |
| Rice, potatoes, onions | 16 ft truck, 7.5 tons | Covered version protects sacks from rain |
| Cement, rods, bricks, sand | 16 or 18 ft open truck | Weight is the limit |
| Export garments | 23 ft covered van | Large, lockable body |
| Machinery or bulk material | 23 ft open truck or trailer | Up to 25 tons, or low-bed for tall machines |
Sizes and payloads follow Truck Lagbe’s booking chart. The full list, with kilograms and maund, is in our guide to truck sizes in Bangladesh.
Step 1: Describe the job
Before you look at trucks, write down five things:
- What you are moving, and whether any of it is fragile, perishable or valuable.
- Roughly how much it weighs.
- How much space it takes, especially the largest items.
- Where the truck loads and unloads, including lane width and floor level.
- When it must move, and whether the date falls near a holiday.
These answers decide the truck. They are also what a truck owner needs to send an accurate bid, so you will use them again when you book.
Step 2: Work out the weight
Weight matters most for dense goods. Each truck has a rated payload, and loading past it is unsafe and illegal. Overloading can bring a fine of up to Tk 1 lakh and costs the driver two of the 12 points on the licence since June 2026, according to a BRTA notice reported by Bangla Tribune.
Many goods have their weight printed on them. A bag of cement weighs 50 kg, so 40 bags reach the 2 ton limit of a 12 ft truck. If a supplier quotes in maund, multiply by 40 to get kilograms: 100 maund of rice is 4,000 kg, more than a 14 ft truck’s 3.5 tons. For household moves, weight is rarely the problem; even a full two-room flat usually stays well under 2 tons.
Step 3: Work out the space
Light, bulky goods run out of space before they run out of weight. Sofas, mattresses, wardrobes, plastic chairs and cartons fill a deck long before they come near its payload, so choose by length.
Measure the longest item, such as a wardrobe, a steel almirah lying flat or a door frame, and make sure it fits the deck. A 9 ft pickup can save you from booking a 12 ft truck when one long item is the only problem. When the load is a full home, go one size up rather than packing tightly: a second trip costs more than the difference between two sizes.
Your load will hit either the weight limit or the space limit first. Book the truck that meets the tighter of the two.
Step 4: Choose the body type
Most sizes from 9 ft up come as an open truck or a covered van.
| Open truck | Covered van | |
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Tarpaulin only | Fully enclosed and lockable |
| Best for | Sand, bricks, rods, machinery, tall items | Furniture, electronics, garments, food |
| Loading | From the sides and back | From the back doors only |
| Fare in Dhaka | Lower | Up to Tk 300 to Tk 500 more at the top of each range |
Choose a covered van when rain, dust or theft could damage the goods, which in Bangladesh means most household moves and anything during the monsoon. Choose an open truck for construction material and loads too tall for van doors.
Some jobs need a special body. Truck Lagbe lists pickups, open trucks, covered vans and flat-bed and low-bed trailers. For fish, meat or frozen food you need a refrigerated van; for sand or earth that must be tipped at the site, a dump truck; for fuel or water, a tanker. These are hired through specialist operators, as our guide to the types of truck in Bangladesh explains. For Eid cattle, see our tips on choosing a truck for sacrificial animals.
Step 5: Check the route, time and access
The truck has to reach both ends of the trip legally and physically.
Inside Dhaka, trucks longer than 12 ft can only be booked for trips after 10:00 PM on Truck Lagbe. If you must move during the day, the widest choice is a 12 ft truck, and a big load may need two trips or a night move.
Check access at both ends. A large truck cannot enter many narrow lanes in old Dhaka or reach the gate of every building. A smaller truck that parks at the door can be quicker and cheaper than a big one parked two streets away, once you count the labour to carry goods to it.
Check the calendar. In 2026, trucks, covered vans and lorries were barred from highways from 17 to 23 March for Eid-ul-Fitr, as TBS reported, and on 25 to 27 and 29 to 31 May for Eid-ul-Azha, according to the Financial Express. Essentials such as perishables, medicine and garments were exempt. Book early around holidays.
For long trips between districts, a larger truck usually costs less per ton than several small ones, because fuel and driver costs are spread over more cargo.
Step 6: Compare the cost
Inside Dhaka, these are Truck Lagbe’s fare ranges from its chart of 12 September 2026. The low end is for a trip within one area and the high end for the farthest trip within the city.
| Truck | Fare range in Dhaka (Tk) |
|---|---|
| 1 ton, 9 ft pickup | 800 to 2,200 |
| 2 ton, 12 ft truck | 1,200 to 2,700 |
| 3.5 ton, 14 ft truck | 1,500 to 2,800 |
| 7.5 ton, 16 ft open truck | 2,500 to 4,500 |
| 15 ton, 18 ft open truck | 3,500 to 5,000 |
| 25 ton, 23 ft open truck | 5,000 to 6,000 |
The chart predates the rise in diesel from Tk 115 to Tk 135 a litre on 21 September 2026, and the government kept the price unchanged for October, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Expect bids near the top of each range. Our truck rental rates guide has the full chart and intercity fares.
Use the table to test your choice. A 14 ft truck at up to Tk 2,800 often costs less than two trips in a 12 ft truck at up to Tk 2,700 each, if the larger truck can run at night. Add labour and waiting time before you compare.
Step 7: Book and confirm
On the Truck Lagbe app, you choose the truck type and size, enter the pickup and drop-off points, set the date and describe the goods. A 1 ton, 7 ft pickup inside Dhaka has a fixed fare; for other sizes, verified truck owners send bids. Our guide on how to rent a truck in Bangladesh walks through each step.
When bids arrive, check that each one is for the size and body type you asked for, and confirm loading time and labour with the owner before the truck comes. For a full home or office move with packing and loading help, Truck Lagbe’s shifting service quotes everything together.
Three worked examples
- A bachelor moving across Dhaka has a single bed, a table, a chair, a small fridge and eight cartons. The weight is far under 1 ton and nothing is longer than 7 ft, so a 9 ft covered van fits with room to spare, keeps the goods dry and can run in the daytime.
- A family moving a three-room flat in Mirpur has two wardrobes, a double and a single bed, a sofa set, a fridge, a washing machine, a dining table and about 30 cartons. A 12 ft truck would need two trips. A 14 ft covered van takes it in one, but inside Dhaka it must run after 10:00 PM, so they book a night move and arrange labour at both ends.
- A contractor needs 200 bags of cement delivered from Narayanganj to Gazipur. At 50 kg a bag, that is 10 tons, more than a 16 ft truck’s 7.5 tons. An 18 ft open truck carries 15 tons, so it takes the load in one trip within its rated payload, with the bags covered by a tarpaulin.
Common mistakes when choosing a truck
- Choosing by length alone and overloading with dense goods such as cement or rods.
- Booking a big truck for a daytime move inside Dhaka, then having to wait until night.
- Sending furniture or electronics in an open truck during the rainy season.
- Booking too small to save money, then paying for a second trip.
- Forgetting labour, stairs and narrow lanes when comparing fares.
- Not describing fragile goods, so the owner sends the wrong vehicle or no padding.
Book the right truck on Truck Lagbe
Once you know the size and body, the Truck Lagbe app shows the fixed fare for a small pickup and live bids from verified owners for every other size, inside Dhaka and across the country. Download the Truck Lagbe app to post your trip, or use Truck Lagbe for Business if you ship every week.
Frequently asked questions
Which truck size do I need for a house move?
A one-room or bachelor move usually fits a 9 ft pickup, a two-room flat a 12 ft truck, and a three to four room home a 14 ft truck. Inside Dhaka, the 14 ft truck can only run after 10:00 PM.
How do I know if my load is too heavy for a truck?
Add up the weights of the heavy items and compare them with the truck’s rated payload: 1 ton for pickups, 2 tons for a 12 ft truck, 3.5 tons for 14 ft, 7.5 tons for 16 ft, and 15 to 25 tons for the largest trucks. One maund is 40 kg.
Should I choose an open truck or a covered van?
Choose a covered van for furniture, electronics, garments and food, and whenever rain is likely. Choose an open truck for sand, bricks, rods, machinery and tall loads.
Is it cheaper to book one big truck or two small trips?
Often one big truck, because a 14 ft truck costs little more than a 12 ft truck in Dhaka. The catch is timing: trucks longer than 12 ft can only run inside Dhaka at night.
Can I book a refrigerated truck on Truck Lagbe?
Refrigerated vans, tippers and tankers are not listed as booking categories on Truck Lagbe. You can book pickups, open trucks, covered vans and flat-bed and low-bed trailers.
What should I tell the truck owner when booking?
The type and weight of the goods, the largest items, anything fragile, the pickup and drop-off points, floor levels and lane access, the date and time, and whether you need labour.
