Biman signing Tk 37,000 crore deal with Boeing tomorrow
National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to sign a landmark aircraft purchase agreement with Boeing tomorrow, in what is expected to be the biggest fleet expansion move in the airline’s history.
The formal agreement signing ceremony will be held at 7:30 pm at a Dhaka hotel, Biman General Manager (Public Relations) Boshra Islam told The Daily Star.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Senior government officials, diplomats and aviation executives are expected to attend the programme.
Biman Managing Director and CEO Kaizer Sohel Ahmed will sign the agreement on behalf of the airline, while a Boeing representative will sign for the manufacturer.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita, State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen, among others, will attend the ceremony, Boshra said.
Under the proposed agreement, Biman will purchase 14 new aircraft, including eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, and four Boeing 737-8 MAX jets, with an estimated list value of around $3.7 billion (Tk 37,000 crore).
Officials said the order is designed to modernise Biman’s fleet, expand long-haul capacity and strengthen regional operations at a time when Bangladesh’s passenger demand continues to rise.
The wide-body Dreamliners are expected to reinforce services to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, while the 737 MAX aircraft would support regional and short-haul routes.
The expected signing comes as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s third terminal nears launch, a development widely seen as central to Bangladesh’s ambition of becoming a stronger regional aviation hub.
The deal is also expected to conclude more than three years of intense competition between Boeing and its European rival Airbus for Biman’s next major fleet order.
Under the previous Awami League government, a policy decision was announced to buy 10 Airbus aircraft. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the 2024 mass uprising and amid pressure related to US reciprocal tariffs, the interim government shifted in favour of Boeing.
Airbus officials earlier told The Daily Star that introducing Airbus aircraft would diversify Biman’s all-Boeing fleet and deepen economic ties with the European Union.
Boeing, however, mounted an intensive push to retain its long-standing dominance, offering Dreamliners, freighter options and narrow-body aircraft while maintaining sustained engagement with policymakers in Dhaka.
“The aircraft buying proposal that we are making may be valued between Tk 30,000 crore and Tk 35,000 crore. We will have to pay this amount over 10 years. In fact, it may take even longer than that, because the payment schedule is long-term. It may take as long as 20 years to complete the payment. So, if you consider this, we may have to pay around Tk 1,500 crore to Tk 2,000 crore per year,” a top Biman official said.
State Minister Rashiduzzaman Millat said last week that the government was working to sign a deal with Boeing by April 30 to purchase 14 aircraft and lease several others as part of efforts to turn Biman Bangladesh Airlines into a profitable entity.
The national flag carrier is currently operating international routes with around 19 aircraft -- well below the estimated requirement of 30 to 35 aircraft needed to meet growing passenger demand and support planned network expansion, according to sources.
Biman’s fleet is currently dominated by Boeing aircraft, and the airline plans to expand its fleet to 47 by 2041.
The first aircraft from Boeing is scheduled for delivery in October 2031, according to Biman sources, while the remaining aircraft are expected to be delivered by November 2035.
The government will provide a sovereign guarantee to Biman Bangladesh Airlines to buy 14 aircraft from Boeing.
A sovereign guarantee is a commitment by the state to cover the debt or financial obligations of another entity if it defaults, reducing risk for lenders and improving access to financing for large or strategic investments.
The interim government earlier pledged to buy 25 aircraft from Boeing as part of efforts to reduce the trade deficit with the United States. Following further evaluation, Biman finalised its decision.
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