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শুক্রবার, ১৭ জুলাই ২০২৬
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Thursday, 16th July 2026
Bangladesh to Purchase Both Boeing and Airbus Aircraft, Says State Minister for Foreign Affairs
17 July 2026 00:07 AM
NEWS DESK
Bangladesh will purchase aircraft from both U.S. aerospace manufacturer Boeing and European aircraft maker Airbus, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Obaed said Bangladesh requires aircraft from both manufacturers to support the country's growing aviation sector.
"We need Boeing, and we also need Airbus. We will purchase aircraft from both," she said in response to a question.
Asked whether the decision was influenced by external pressure—given Bangladesh's earlier commitment to buy Airbus aircraft from France and its more recent move to procure Boeing jets from the United States—Obaed rejected the suggestion.
She said the government's priority is to strengthen Bangladesh's civil aviation industry while supporting the country's economic recovery.
"To take our civil aviation sector to a higher level, we have to make necessary investments. The Prime Minister inherited a fragile economy from the previous government. While we must maintain fiscal discipline, we also need to procure what is essential for the country's development. We need both Boeing and Airbus, and we will buy both," she said.
Responding to another question on whether Bangladesh was offering preferential treatment to any particular country in trade or investment, Obaed said national interest remains the government's foremost consideration.
"Absolutely not. In matters of investment, Bangladesh's national interest always comes first," she said.
In May 2023, Bangladesh signed a joint declaration in London under a bilateral Aviation Partnership agreement to explore the purchase of passenger and cargo aircraft from Airbus for the national carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The proposed acquisition was expected to be supported by long-term, concessional financing through the UK Export Finance scheme and European partners.
Two years later, in July 2025, Bangladesh decided to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft as part of negotiations with the United States over reciprocal tariffs.
Meanwhile, the BNP-led government has reaffirmed its interest in acquiring Airbus aircraft as part of its plan to expand the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines while maintaining a sustainable mixed-fleet strategy.
The issue was discussed on Wednesday during a meeting between Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Afroza Khanam and diplomats representing France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and the European Union at the ministry's conference room in Dhaka.
Those attending the meeting included French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke, Spanish Ambassador Gabriel Sistiaga, German Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Anja Torsten, and Baiba Žerina, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh.
The four European diplomats also met Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday, where the proposed Airbus purchase was again among the topics discussed.
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