Published: 12:29 AM, 02 September 2026
Bangladesh turns to Boeing following US pressure leaving Airbus on standby
Bangladesh has confirmed a $3.7bn (£2.8bn) fleet expansion deal with Boeing following direct trade overtures from Washington, signaling a strategic realignment in South Asia's civil aviation landscape as Dhaka seeks to hedge against shifting US trade policies.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat confirmed on Monday that the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines is advancing a firm commitment for 14 Boeing airframes. The deal includes provisions for additional aircraft leases, coming directly after representations made by the Trump administration urging the country to standardise its long-haul fleet with US manufacturers.
"President Trump conveyed a clear request to our leadership to utilise American aircraft," Millat told an administrative briefing. "We are proceeding on that basis with 14 aircraft, alongside supplemental lease structures."
The procurement represents a departure from earlier fleet planning. A preliminary agreement established under the former Awami League government had positioned European consortium Airbus as the preferred partner for a 10-aircraft widebody order. However, political restructuring following last month's government transition, paired with impending US tariff pressures, redirected procurement priorities toward the Chicago-headquartered aerospace group.
Despite the Boeing commitment, Dhaka appears keen to avoid alienating European trade partners. Millat noted that talks with Airbus supported by manufacturing interests in France, Germany, and the UK remain active as the country evaluates medium-term capacity demands.
The $3.7bn commercial package, which reflects an exchange rate valuation of 122.73 BDT to the dollar, structures deliveries across a phased schedule between 2031 and 2035.
Washington quickly framed the order as a landmark bilateral trade win. Sergio Gor, Special Envoy for the US President, highlighted the capital allocation via social media, confirming that Bangladesh's final financial commitment significantly exceeded initial baseline expectations.
WHY THE BOEING 737 MAX REMAINS SO POPULAR:
The Boeing 737 MAX represents the latest evolution of the highly successful Boeing 737, a program that dates back to the late 1960s and has become the best-selling commercial aircraft in history. Rather than designing an entirely new aircraft, the US manufacturer chose to build on the existing 737 design, offering airlines an updated product that would retain operational familiarity while delivering improved performance. The program was officially launched in 2011 as a direct response to the success of the Airbus A320neo family.
The Boeing 737 MAX incorporates several key upgrades over previous generations, among the most significant of which are the CFM LEAP-1B engines, which provide a substantial improvement in fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The aircraft also features advanced winglets, refined aerodynamics, and updated flight deck displays. These changes allow the 737 MAX to deliver better performance while maintaining a high degree of commonality with earlier 737 variants.
The Boeing 737 MAX family includes four main variants - the 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, and 737 MAX 10. The 737 MAX 8 is the most popular version, offering a strong balance of range and capacity that suits a wide range of airline operations. The 737 MAX 9 and 737 MAX 10 provide additional seating capacity for high-demand routes, while the MAX 7 is optimized for shorter runways and lower-demand markets. This range of options enables airlines to tailor their fleets without introducing entirely new aircraft types, but only the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 are currently in commercial service, with the other two variants still awaiting certification.
The Boeing 737 MAX entered commercial service in 2017 with Malindo Air, and since then, it has been adopted by carriers across the globe, including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Its widespread use highlights the enduring demand for efficient narrowbody aircraft and the continued relevance of the 737 platform in modern aviation.
Despite its promising start, the Boeing 737 MAX program was overshadowed by two tragic accidents - Lion Air Flight 610 crash and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. These incidents resulted in the loss of 346 lives and led to the worldwide grounding of the entire 737 MAX fleet in March 2019, marking one of the most significant crises in the history of commercial aviation.
Investigations into the crashes identified issues related to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), a flight control software designed to improve handling characteristics. In both cases, erroneous data from a single angle-of-attack sensor triggered the system, causing repeated nose-down inputs, and the situation was compounded by a lack of clear information provided to pilots regarding the system's operation and limited training on how to respond.
The grounding that followed lasted nearly two years in some regions, during which time Boeing worked extensively to address the underlying issues. Updates to the MCAS system included incorporating input from multiple sensors, limiting its activation, and enhancing overall system transparency. Regulators such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) conducted rigorous reviews before approving the aircraft's return to service beginning in late 2020.
>>Bernard Priyam, AA
