Bangladesh’s New Government Orders 14 Boeing Jets

(MENAFN) Bangladesh's newly installed government has greenlighted the purchase of 14 commercial aircraft from US aerospace giant Boeing, a senior official confirmed Wednesday.

"A deal is expected to be signed in April to this effect," said State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, speaking to reporters following a briefing with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Millat also announced the reinstatement of direct flights between Bangladesh and Tokyo, Japan, set to resume in June after being suspended under the previous caretaker administration.

Parallel talks are ongoing with European planemaker Airbus to allow for a diversified fleet going forward. Millat noted that "initiatives have been taken to add new aircraft within two to three months, including through leasing to increase the fleet in the short term."

The procurement reverses a policy shift made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, which had pivoted toward Airbus. The interim administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, had already moved to re-engage Boeing before the current government formalized the decision.

The driving force behind the acquisition is a deepening fleet crisis at national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which currently operates approximately 19 aircraft on international routes — well below the 30 to 35 estimated as necessary to meet passenger demand. The total procurement cost is estimated at around 350 billion taka ($2.8 billion). The government has outlined an ambitious roadmap to grow Biman's fleet to 47 aircraft by the 2034–35 fiscal year.

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