State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said there is no hidden agenda behind Bangladesh’s latest agreement with Boeing, saying the country is expanding Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ fleet based on operational needs as it moves to become an aviation hub.
“We need to expand the fleet to become an aviation hub. There is nothing… there is no hidden agenda. Bangladesh does it based on its needs. We need to expand our fleet,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
Secretary (Intergovernmental Organisations) M Forhadul Islam and Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) AKM Shahidul Karim were present during the briefing.
Kobir stressed the importance of maintaining a mixed fleet for the development of the country’s aviation sector.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, signed an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing during Tarique Rahman’s visit to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly to acquire 11 additional aircraft.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen congratulated Boeing and Biman on the agreement, describing it as another positive development in US-Bangladesh relations.
“Congratulations to Boeing and Biman on the agreement to purchase 11 more of the world’s best commercial planes. Another win-win for the US-Bangladesh relationship,” he said before the signing ceremony in New York.
In April, Bangladesh and Boeing announced a deal for the purchase of 14 aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines, described as the airline’s largest-ever order, with an estimated value of $3.7 billion.
Kobir also described Tarique’s four-day visit to New York for the UN General Assembly session as “successful and meaningful”.
He said the prime minister held extensive engagements with the international community and that his address at the UNGA received positive responses from global stakeholders.
