Bangladesh has kept open the possibility of an additional Boeing aircraft agreement being concluded during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, with the Foreign Secretary declining to rule out a signing when questioned directly on Sunday, September 20.

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, asked at a curtain-raiser briefing whether an agreement for additional Boeing aircraft could be signed on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly, stopped short of confirming any deal but said the Prime Minister’s programme remained fluid.

“When heads of state or government attend multilateral conferences, their schedules remain under continuous development,” Siam told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“It is not the case that only the engagements we have already announced will take place or that none of them will be dropped. Similarly, engagements not previously scheduled may subsequently be added,” he said.

“Therefore, it is an evolving process. Let us see,” the Foreign Secretary added.

Pressed on the question, Siam said: “I think I have responded to your question. It is a living programme, so all options remain open.”

The carefully worded response neither confirmed an aircraft agreement nor ruled out the possibility, leaving the New York window open as questions intensify over Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ next phase of fleet acquisition.

Prime Minister Rahman is scheduled to leave Dhaka for New York on September 21 and address the UN General Assembly on September 24. His official programme includes multilateral engagements, bilateral meetings and discussions with senior international business representatives.

The Foreign Secretary, however, stressed that the United Nations programme would receive priority during the visit.

The Boeing question has assumed greater significance following indications that Bangladesh could expand substantially on the 14-aircraft order Biman signed with the US manufacturer in April.

That US$3.7 billion agreement covers eight Boeing 787-10s, two 787-9s and four 737-8s, with deliveries scheduled between November 2031 and October 2035.

Sources familiar with the subsequent discussions have told Aviation Express that another 11 Boeing aircraft are under consideration, which, if concluded, would raise Biman’s total prospective Boeing acquisition to 25 aircraft.

The additional aircraft have yet to be officially detailed by Dhaka, with no public disclosure so far on their models, price, financing structure or delivery schedule.

The prospect of an expanded order first emerged publicly from Washington late last month.

US Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor said on August 30 that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Rahman had reached “another incredible Deal”, under which Bangladesh would spend billions of dollars on additional Boeing aircraft and significantly increase its initial order.

President Trump subsequently wrote to Rahman expressing appreciation for his decision concerning Boeing aircraft and saying he looked forward to meeting the Bangladesh premier in the “not too distant future”.

Dhaka initially offered a more cautious interpretation.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Gor’s comments might have referred to the previously concluded Boeing agreement.

Later on the same day, however, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh would purchase additional aircraft according to the requirements of its aviation sector, while rejecting suggestions that the decision was being made under US pressure.

The New York visit therefore comes at a potentially important juncture for Biman’s fleet expansion.

Alongside the additional Boeing aircraft under consideration, Biman has also been working towards a separate package of 10 Airbus aircraft — four A350-900 widebodies and six A321neo narrowbodies.

If both prospective packages materialise, Biman’s future acquisition pipeline could reach 35 aircraft — 25 Boeing and 10 Airbus — compared with its existing fleet of 19.

Such an expansion would fundamentally reshape the flag carrier’s fleet over the next decade, but would also raise major questions over financing, network deployment, fleet complexity, manpower, maintenance capability and commercial returns.

For now, no additional Boeing signing in New York has been officially announced.

But with the Foreign Secretary describing the Prime Minister’s schedule as a “living programme” and saying “all options remain open”, Dhaka has left the door open.