Desk Report:
A press briefing was held on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) at 2:00 PM in the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, the Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, was present at the briefing.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister stated that as part of the plan to expand the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, an agreement to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft was signed on April 30, 2026. Pursuant to the “Right to Purchase Additional Aircraft” clause in that agreement, a contract for an additional 11 Boeing aircraft was signed in New York on Wednesday, September 23. The newly contracted 11 aircraft comprise five Boeing 787-10 (wide-body) and six Boeing 737-8 Max (narrow-body) models. The supplementary agreement was executed at the same price rates as the original contract signed on April 30.
In total, agreements have been finalized for the purchase of 25 Boeing aircraft. This includes 15 wide-body aircraft (two B787-9s and thirteen B787-10s) and 10 narrow-body aircraft (B737-8 Max). Under the terms of the agreement, the first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November 2031, with the final delivery expected by 2035; however, we have requested the delivery of at least one aircraft between 2027 and 2028.
Additionally, discussions are ongoing regarding the purchase of four A350-900 (wide-body) and six A321 Neo (narrow-body) aircraft from Airbus. We are working towards establishing a sustainable mixed fleet. In response to a question regarding the procurement plan, the Minister stated that the number of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft has been determined based on passenger demand—taking into account Biman’s network fleet planning, aircraft range, passenger capacity, projected passengers per flight, and weekly flight frequencies.
Wide-body aircraft are primarily intended for high-demand routes to the Middle East and long-haul routes to Europe and North America, while narrow-body aircraft are designated for regional and short-haul routes; the latter will also replace Biman’s aging 737-800 fleet.
We are following the Ethiopian Airlines model for expanding Biman’s fleet. Ethiopian Airlines has grown from a small legacy carrier to a fleet of 167 aircraft, whereas our national carrier operates only 19. As you know, our GDP exceeds that of Ethiopia, and passenger demand at our airports is also higher.
Currently, our airline handles slightly over 20 percent of the total demand, with foreign airlines capturing the remaining 80 percent. Therefore, the government has taken timely initiatives to procure aircraft to address this shortage. There is no geopolitical influence involved in this process.
Regarding payment for the purchase, the Minister noted that Biman is a public limited company. The cost will be covered through Biman’s own earnings and appropriate financing arrangements. Since delivery will take place in phases, payments will also be made in installments.
This plan was formulated after carefully considering Biman’s financial strength, route-based revenue, and future growth projections. Consequently, there will be no direct strain on the national budget.
