Biman signs deal to buy 11 more Boeing aircraft
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to buy 11 more aircraft as Bangladesh moves to expand its aviation sector and open new routes, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said on Wednesday (23 September).
“A significant signing ceremony was held with Boeing today [Wednesday], where Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed an agreement to purchase 11 more Boeing aircraft,” he said at a press briefing at the Hyatt Grand Central New York.
Mahdi said Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain signed the agreement on behalf of the national flag carrier.
He said Bangladesh is buying aircraft based on its own requirements as the aviation sector is expanding. “We buy aircraft based on our needs. We want to expand our aviation sector, and for that we need aircraft,” he said.
The adviser said Bangladesh has a long-standing commercial relationship with Boeing, while discussions with Airbus could also take place based on the country’s requirements.
“The two companies that provide good aircraft are Boeing and Airbus. We will buy from Boeing or Airbus according to our needs. No one will force us to buy either,” he said.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said the signing ceremony was significant as several senior US government officials attended the event.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur and Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Vinay Chawla attended the ceremony.
Kobir said the presence of the senior US officials demonstrated the importance of Bangladesh-US relations.
He said the participation of senior officials from the US Commerce and State Departments showed that the two countries are looking at expanding trade and investment while strengthening bilateral relations.
Referring to President Donald Trump’s recent letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the state minister said the US President had expressed his appreciation for Bangladesh’s decision to purchase Boeing aircraft and conveyed confidence in the country’s future under Tarique Rahman’s leadership.
He said the Boeing agreement was also important from the perspective of expanding Bangladesh’s aviation sector and strengthening economic ties with the United States.
Mahdi said the Boeing delegation later held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
In April, Bangladesh signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 14 aircraft for Biman in a deal valued at $3.7 billion, described as the airline’s biggest-ever aircraft order.
In a letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on September 1, Trump thanked him for the decision to purchase Boeing aircraft and said Boeing would not let Bangladesh down.
Mahdi said technical assessments and discussions were also underway on possible future aircraft purchases, including from Airbus, based on Bangladesh’s requirements.
He said Bangladesh is expanding its aviation sector, planning new routes and will need additional aircraft to meet growing demand.
Kobir said Bangladesh will continue to assess its requirements before making further aircraft purchases, adding that the government wants to ensure that its aviation expansion serves the country’s interests.
The Boeing signing was among a series of activities during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s four-day visit to New York to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The signing ceremony was attended by Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, and Rumee A Hossain, chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Kobir, Mahdi, Invest Bangladesh Authority Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Howard Lutnick and Christopher Landau on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Source: UNB NEWS