Shortly after signing an agreement with Boeing to purchase 25 aircraft, the government is set to buy 10 more aircraft from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus for Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
“We are buying 10 Airbus aircraft. Inshallah, the agreement will be signed in October,” Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat announced on Tuesday at a press briefing held at the Secretariat.
Earlier, Bangladesh signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase 25 aircraft, Millat said, clarifying that signing the agreement does not mean the aircraft will arrive in Bangladesh immediately.
“Under the agreement, the first Boeing aircraft is scheduled to arrive in 2031. However, Bangladesh has requested Boeing to deliver at least one aircraft by 2027-28. 25 Boeing aircraft will be delivered in phases through 2035-37,” the minister said.
He said payment would be made after each aircraft is delivered, meaning Bangladesh will not have to pay the full amount upfront.
“Now, we don't have to pay any money. We are giving a guarantee that they will provide the aircraft one by one, and then we will pay. Hopefully, we will be able to pay this money from the earnings of this fleet,” he said.
$6.4b to be spent on 25 Boeing aircraft
The minister said the 25 Boeing aircraft will cost around $6.4 billion in total.
The previous agreement for 14 Boeing aircraft was worth $3.7 billion, while the newly added 11 aircraft will cost around $2.7 billion, he said.
The prices of the 11 new Boeing aircraft were set in line with the earlier agreement, Millat added.
10 aircraft to be leased until new ones arrive
As it will take several years for the newly purchased aircraft to be delivered, the government has taken an initiative to lease at least 10 aircraft to expand Biman’s fleet in the meantime, said the minister.
“We will lease at least 10 aircraft until the new planes arrive,” he said.
The leasing process is underway, Millat said, adding that a committee headed by the finance secretary has been formed with representatives of all relevant stakeholders.
He said two more members have been proposed to ensure that the aircraft leasing process is completed transparently.
The minister said the government wants to expand Biman’s fleet through leasing and develop the country’s aviation sector.
Aircraft purchases based on ‘Bangladesh First’ approach
Asked whether the Boeing purchase was aimed at pleasing the United States, the minister said the decision on which country to purchase aircraft from is entirely Bangladesh's own.
He said the government is considering which aircraft would be suitable for Bangladesh, where they could be purchased most profitably and how many aircraft should be bought in the country's interest.
“What we should think about is how Bangladesh will benefit, where we can buy profitably, and from whom and how many we should buy to benefit the country,” he said.
“We all — not just me, but also those who are taking my photo or recording what I say — should think that we put Bangladesh first,” he added.
The minister said it was not his concern whether a “level playing field” has been created for any other country.
Aircraft would be purchased from whichever source would be most beneficial for Bangladesh's aviation sector, he said.