by Muktadir Rashid 

Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ in-principle approval to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft has intensified scrutiny over whether the fleet decision was driven by commercial necessity or geopolitical calculation, after senior government officials openly linked aircraft procurement to Bangladesh’s trade negotiations with the United States.

The decision has revived a nearly three-year tug of war between two archrival Boeing and Airbus, dating back to the previous ousted government’s plan to acquire additional wide-body aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines, whose fleet is already dominated by Boeing jets.

While Biman officials cite fleet commonality and operational efficiency, critics argue that the decision cannot be separated from explicit trade commitments made at the government level, raising concerns over whether diplomacy outweighed a strictly merit-based evaluation.

Trade Deficit Link Made Explicit

The political context surrounding the Boeing decision sharpened after Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman publicly tied aircraft procurement to tariff negotiations with Washington.

“We have included Boeing aircraft in the list of products to purchase to reduce the trade deficit with the US. We plan to acquire 25 aircraft from Boeing, and the deal will be implemented gradually,” Rahman said on July 30, 2025, after returning from trade tariff negotiations in the United States.

Industry analysts say the statement removed any ambiguity about the dual purpose of the Boeing order—serving both aviation needs and trade diplomacy.

“This was no longer just an airline decision,” said one aviation policy analyst. “It became part of a broader trade strategy.”

Board Approval Amid Diplomatic Undertones

The Biman board’s policy-level approval—granted at the airline’s Annual General Meeting, held on December 30 last, chaired by the Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser, who also serves as board chairman—covers eight Boeing 787-10s, two 787-9s and four 737-8 MAX aircraft, subject to price and financing negotiations.

Officials said the interim government had earlier pledged to purchase Boeing aircraft as part of efforts to ease trade frictions with the United States—an acknowledgment that further blurred the line between commercial procurement and statecraft.

Airbus Pushes Back: ‘Decision Should Be Based on Offers, Not Politics’

Airbus has openly questioned the political framing of the decision.

“We want Biman to take the decision based on fact, based on commercial, technical and capacity-building value,” said Wouter van Wersch, executive vice president (International) of Airbus, during a recent visit to Dhaka.

“The decision should be based on the offers, not politics,” he added, stressing that Airbus was seeking a fair, transparent evaluation, not political pressure.

Van Wersch argued that Airbus aircraft—particularly the A350—could enable non-stop ultra-long-haul flights, including direct Dhaka–US services, while offering lower seat-mile costs and higher cargo capability.

European Envoys Step In

The debate took a diplomatic turn in November when ambassadors and high commissioners from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the European Union appeared jointly in Dhaka to promote Airbus aircraft—an unprecedented show of coordinated support.

French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet said Airbus represents “a credible, sustainable and forward-looking choice” for Bangladesh’s aviation ambitions, adding that Europe was ready to support fleet expansion through financing, training and industrial cooperation.

German Ambassador Rüdiger Lotz said Bangladesh’s growing economy requires “modern, environmentally friendly aircraft,” while British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke reiterated the UK’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s aspiration to become a regional aviation hub.

EU Ambassador Michael Miller also highlighted the broader trade and partnership dimension between Bangladesh and Europe.

Fleet Logic vs Diplomatic Comfort

From a purely operational perspective, Boeing’s advantage is clear. Biman Bangladesh Airlines already operates a predominantly Boeing fleet, and maintaining commonality reduces training, maintenance and spare-parts costs.

But critics argue that commercial logic alone does not explain why Airbus proposals—actively backed at the highest diplomatic levels—were sidelined so decisively, particularly when previous governments had publicly discussed acquiring Airbus wide-body aircraft.

Analysts warn that when fleet decisions are shaped by diplomacy, airlines risk long-term consequences, including capacity mismatches, underutilised wide-bodies and financing strain—issues Biman has faced before.

Decision Made, Doubts Persist

Officials insist the Boeing approval remains policy-level, with no binding contract signed yet. Final pricing, financing and delivery schedules are still under negotiation.

Yet the public record now shows that aircraft procurement has been explicitly linked to trade deficit management—making it difficult to frame the decision as purely commercial.

As one industry expert put it: “When aircraft become tools of trade diplomacy, the airline inherits risks that have little to do with flying.”

For Biman, the aircraft order may strengthen bilateral ties—but whether it ultimately strengthens the airline itself remains an open question.