Biman Bangladesh Airlines, country's national flag carrier, is set to sign an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to acquire 11 additional aircraft during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The agreement is scheduled to be signed at 4:15pm (local time) on Wednesday at the prime minister’s place of residence in the presence of senior Bangladesh and US officials.
"Congratulations to Boeing and Biman on the agreement to purchase 11 more of the world’s best commercial planes. Another win-win for the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship! Will be tuning in to the signing ceremony in New York later today," US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen said on Wednesday.
The Ambassador said this in a post from his verified X handle.
In April, Bangladesh signed a deal with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to buy 14 planes for its national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the two sides announced - the airline’s biggest-ever order, in a deal valued at $3.7 billion.
Bangladesh is likely to sign the latest deal to purchase an additional 11 Boeing aircraft, according to the sources at the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry.
Ruling out any pressure from the US side over the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir recently said the approach is demand-driven and that Bangladesh needs to expand its aircraft fleet to open new routes, improve passenger services and strengthen its position as an aviation gateway in Asia.
"No, not under any pressure but as per the demand of the aviation sector. We will buy additional aircraft according to our needs," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a journalist drew his attention to the purchase of additional Boeing aircraft from the United States.
Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain is expected to sign the agreement on behalf of the national flag carrier.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir are scheduled to attend the signing ceremony, according to the PM’s programme schedule.
Following the signing, Dr Brendan Nelson AO, Senior Vice President of Boeing and President of Boeing Global, is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at around 4:30pm at the bilateral meeting room at the prime minister’s place of residence.
Nelson will lead the Boeing delegation during the call.
The Bangladesh delegation is expected to include Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiyun Kobir, the prime minister’s spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Chairman of Invest Bangladesh Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun , Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Bangladesh at Ambassador to Washington and Biman Chairman Rumee Akhtar Hossain.
The US delegation for the signing will include US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur and Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Vinay Chawla.
Lutnick and Landau are scheduled to deliver brief remarks at the signing ceremony.
The additional order would take Biman’s planned Boeing acquisitions , following a $3.7 billion agreement signed in April for 14 aircraft.
In a letter sent to the Prime Minister on September 1 Trump thanked the Prime Minister for his decision to purchase Boeing aircraft, saying Boeing will not let Bangladesh down.
“I just received your letter concerning the purchase of Boeing Aircraft, and very much appreciate your decision of purchase. Boeing will not let you down, and I will not forget,” Trump wrote in the letter.
The US President also thanked Tarique Rahman for his attention to the matter and said, “I look forward to meeting you in the not too distant future.”