US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen has congratulated Boeing and Biman Bangladesh Airlines on their agreement to purchase 11 additional aircraft, describing it as a gain for both countries ahead of a signing ceremony scheduled in New York on Wednesday.

“Congratulations to Boeing and Biman on the agreement to purchase 11 more of the world’s best commercial planes. Another win-win for the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship!” the ambassador said in a message. He added that he would be watching the signing ceremony later in the day.

The ceremony is scheduled for 4:15 pm Wednesday in New York, equivalent to 2:15 am Thursday in Bangladesh, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, a senior Biman official told Aviation Express.

Biman Board Chairman Rumee Akhtar Hossain is expected to sign the agreement in the presence of Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is likely to witness the ceremony, according to information obtained by Aviation Express. Boeing Global President Dr Brendan Nelson is scheduled to call on the prime minister afterward.

The proposed purchase would take Biman’s planned Boeing acquisitions to 25 aircraft. It follows the airline’s April 30 order for 14 jets: eight 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9 Dreamliners and four 737-8 aircraft. Boeing described that order as the largest in Biman’s history. 

The earlier package, valued at approximately US$3.7 billion, is intended to expand Biman’s long-haul capacity and renew part of its regional fleet. The first aircraft is expected in November 2031, with deliveries continuing through October 2035. 

Details of the models, price, financing arrangements and delivery schedule for the additional 11 aircraft have yet to be made public. Those terms will be central to assessing how the new agreement fits Biman’s fleet expansion plans and when it could add capacity.

The New York ceremony comes as Biman also considers a separate proposal to acquire 10 Airbus aircraft—four A350-900 widebody jets and six A321neo narrowbody aircraft. If both proposed purchases proceed alongside the April Boeing order, Biman’s acquisition pipeline would total 35 aircraft across the two manufacturers.

The longer-term orders will take years to translate into aircraft in service. To address more immediate capacity needs, the government has said Biman plans to lease up to 10 aircraft by 2027. It has also reviewed a roadmap to expand the carrier’s fleet to 47 aircraft by the 2034–35 fiscal year. 

The aircraft plans have drawn added attention as Bangladesh works to resume direct flights between Dhaka and New York. Minister Millat told Ambassador Christensen last week that the government was working toward restarting the service next year. The prospective Boeing purchase adds a major commercial element to that wider aviation relationship, although aircraft procurement alone would not establish a launch date for the route.