Bangladesh seals Boeing jet deal, shifts from Airbus
DHAKA, April 30 : Bangladesh signed a deal on Thursday to buy 14 aircraft from U.S. planemaker Boeing, officials said, a move that marks a shift away from Europe's Airbus amid trade pressure from Washington.
Officials did not disclose the value of the deal, though at list prices it would be worth about $3.7 billion.
Boeing will supply a mix of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, including 10 787 Dreamliners and four 737 MAX jets, to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, as the national carrier looks to modernise its fleet and expand capacity to meet rising demand.
The order features eight 787‑10s, marking Biman’s first purchase of the largest Dreamliner variant, along with two 787‑9s, Boeing said on Thursday, confirming the order.
The aircraft will be delivered in phases, a Biman official and an official from the aviation ministry said, without providing further details.
The agreement ends a prolonged contest between Boeing and Airbus for Biman’s next major order, with both manufacturers vying for a larger presence in South Asia’s growing aviation market.
Under the previous government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh had approved plans to buy 10 aircraft from Airbus although no final agreement had been signed. Following her government’s fall, the interim administration shifted course in favour of Boeing.
Officials said the decision reflects not only fleet requirements but also larger trade considerations. Bangladesh is trying to ease pressure from a roughly $6 billion trade imbalance with the United States and avoid potential tariff increases that could hit its export-driven economy, particularly the garment industry.
The fleet expansion also coincides with broader upgrades to Bangladesh's aviation infrastructure, including a new terminal at Dhaka airport, aimed at handling rising passenger traffic driven by a growing middle class and a large overseas workforce.
The 54-year-old Biman has a fleet of more than 20 aircraft, mostly Boeing planes, more than half of which are wide-bodies. It also has a number of Dash-8 turboprops.
