DHAKA, Nov 5, 2025 (Aviation Express) – The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Bangladesh’s aviation sector, with British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke declaring, “We want to help Bangladesh realize its ambitions to become a regional aviation hub.”

Speaking at the European Dialogue on Bangladesh Aviation Growth at the French Embassy in Dhaka, Cooke highlighted London’s growing interest in supporting Bangladesh’s aviation expansion,  particularly through strategic partnerships with Airbus, one of the UK’s largest civil aerospace companies.

“Airbus exemplifies the best of British innovation and international collaboration,” Cooke said, adding that the UK is “optimistic about deepening trade ties through partnerships that support Bangladesh’s aviation aspirations.”

Cooke joined French Ambassador-designate Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, German Ambassador Rüdiger Lotz, and EU Ambassador Michael Miller, all of whom called for fair competition in Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ upcoming fleet renewal process — where Airbus and Boeing are locked in a billion-dollar contest for dominance.

The High Commissioner noted that the UK remains one of Bangladesh’s largest sources of foreign direct investment and a major export market. Through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), Bangladeshi exports will continue to enjoy duty-free access to the UK market until 2029 and beyond, covering 98% of export items including garments.

She praised UK companies such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, Unilever, and leading British retailers for generating thousands of jobs in Bangladesh. She also pointed to ongoing collaboration with the Bangladesh Bank, BEA, and NBR aimed at improving business conditions and economic resilience.

Cooke recalled that in May 2023, the UK and Bangladesh signed an Aviation Trade and Investment Partnership Communiqué, marking a key milestone in bilateral cooperation. She expressed optimism that such partnerships — particularly with Airbus — would “continue to develop well into the next decade.”

The British envoy also emphasized the importance of a mixed-fleet strategy, citing models in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan as examples of how operational and commercial value can be maximized through diversification.

Her remarks come amid heightened global attention on Biman’s ongoing procurement review. The airline’s Techno-Financial Committee is currently evaluating two rival offers: Airbus’s proposal for 10 A350 wide-body and 4 A320neo narrow-body aircraft, and Boeing’s offer of 10 787 Dreamliners and 4 737 MAX jets.

The debate has taken on a geopolitical dimension, following Dhaka’s recent declaration to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft under a trade-tariff understanding with the U.S. Trump administration — a move that reignited the fierce Airbus-Boeing rivalry for control of Bangladesh’s skies.

Cooke concluded her address by extending her best wishes to Airbus, describing the European aerospace consortium as “a symbol of international collaboration, uniting expertise and innovation from across Europe to help support Bangladesh’s aviation future.”