Bangladesh set to sign Boeing jet deal, shifting from Airbus

Bangladesh is set to sign a deal on Thursday to buy 14 aircraft from US 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, which will provide a mix of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft to Biman Bangladesh Airlines as the national carrier looks to modernise its fleet and expand capacity to meet rising demand.

The agreement is expected to be signed on Thursday evening in Dhaka, an official from the aviation ministry and an official from Biman said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The aircraft will be delivered in phases, but more financial and technical details were not disclosed.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside its usual business hours.

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 during the 2024 mass uprising, 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.