Bangladesh is set to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft as part of a broader plan to expand and modernise the country’s aviation fleet, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Monday.
Speaking as the chief guest at a coordination meeting held at the Mymensingh district administration office, the minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had received a request from US President Donald Trump regarding the use of Boeing aircraft. According to Millat, the government is proceeding with the purchase of 14 Boeing planes and is also considering leasing additional aircraft.
“We are purchasing 14 Boeing aircraft and using them. Some more aircraft will also be taken on lease,” the minister said.
He added that the government was not limiting its fleet expansion plans to Boeing. Aircraft manufactured by Airbus, including those produced in France, Britain and Germany, are also being considered for purchase. The minister said the wider strategy was aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s aviation capacity and supporting the country’s development and economic prosperity.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of efforts to strengthen Bangladesh’s aviation sector through additional aircraft capacity. Expanding the fleet can allow the national carrier to increase flight frequency, open or restore routes and improve its ability to serve growing passenger demand. The decision to combine aircraft purchases with leasing would also provide the government with flexibility in expanding capacity while managing the financial commitments associated with outright purchases.
During the meeting, Millat also spoke about governance, accountability and the performance of government officials. He urged officials to work with greater dedication and said the administration needed to move away from what he described as a relaxed attitude towards public service during the previous government.
Referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s working schedule, the minister said the prime minister works between 14 and 18 hours a day and questioned why government officials could not demonstrate a similar level of commitment.
Millat warned that negligence in official duties would not be tolerated. He called on officials to abandon previous attitudes and begin working with renewed enthusiasm. Those unwilling to work, he said, should leave their jobs.
The minister also referred to the departure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and warned that the consequences could be serious if lessons were not drawn from the events of the past.
“We do not want a repetition of what happened in the past in any way,” he said.
The coordination meeting was held at the district administrator’s conference room. Discussions covered law and order, good governance, transparency, accountability and implementation of the government’s election manifesto.
The planned acquisition of Boeing aircraft, alongside the proposed purchase of Airbus planes and additional leasing arrangements, therefore forms part of a broader stated effort to increase aviation capacity while placing greater emphasis on administrative performance and implementation of government priorities.
