Biman Bangladesh Airlines is poised to expand its fleet with the acquisition of 10 Airbus aircraft, complementing its existing order for 25 Boeing jets. The national carrier is expected to finalize the Airbus deal in early October, according to Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, who provided details on the procurement during a press briefing at the Secretariat.
The forthcoming Airbus order includes four A350-900 wide-body aircraft and six A321neo narrow-body jets. Based on Airbus’s 2018 list prices, the combined catalog value of these planes is approximately $2.05 billion, though sources involved in the negotiations indicated that Bangladesh is being offered discounted pricing along with a range of support services. These services encompass financing, maintenance, repair and overhaul, pilot and cabin crew training, fleet planning, and cabin design assistance. Financing covering around 85 percent of the purchase cost is expected to come from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, with interest rates to be finalized once the deal is signed.
This move follows two agreements signed with Boeing in 2026, securing 25 aircraft in total at an estimated cost of $6.4 billion. The Boeing orders cover a mix of wide-body and narrow-body jets, including 13 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9s, and 10 737 Max 8s. The initial deal for 14 aircraft was finalized in April, with a supplemental contract for 11 more signed in September. Delivery of the Boeing jets is scheduled to commence in November 2031 and conclude by 2035, though the government is seeking to bring forward at least one delivery to 2027 or 2028 through discussions with Boeing and U.S. officials.
Biman currently operates a fleet of 19 aircraft, two of which are nearing retirement, effectively leaving 17 operational planes. The airline plans to replace aging aircraft over the next decade and expand its capacity by adding the Airbus jets alongside the Boeing orders. Overall, Biman’s fleet expansion strategy involves acquiring 35 new planes, with 19 intended for long-haul and high-demand routes, and 16 for regional and medium-haul services.
The procurement timeline reflects the long lead times necessary for new commercial aircraft, a challenge compounded by Biman’s attempts to lease at least 10 additional planes on a short-term basis to meet rising passenger demand. Despite ongoing efforts including public advertisements and a committee led by the finance secretary to oversee leasing, no aircraft have been secured yet. The minister emphasized that increasing fleet size is essential for Biman to boost flight frequencies, particularly on popular Middle Eastern routes where foreign carriers currently dominate.
Biman’s efforts to modernize and expand its network include exploring new destinations such as Sydney, resuming flights to New York, and increasing service frequency to profitable existing routes like Japan. The government views a larger national carrier fleet as a means to capture more of the outbound Bangladeshi travel market and keep economic benefits within the country.
The airline’s dual engagements with Boeing and Airbus have drawn diplomatic interest. French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet recently described the Airbus negotiations as progressing well and stressed that the selection was based on technical considerations rather than political influence. Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir affirming that aircraft purchases are purely commercial matters of the country, echoed by Minister Millat’s statement rejecting any suggestion of external pressure in the procurement decisions.