Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to sign a landmark aircraft acquisition agreement with US aerospace giant Boeing today (Thursday) at 7:30PM, in what is expected to become the biggest fleet expansion move in the national carrier’s modern history.

The formal signing ceremony is scheduled to be held at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, where senior government officials, diplomats and aviation executives are expected to attend.

Biman Managing Director and CEO Kaizer Sohail Ahmed will sign the agreement on behalf of the airline, while Boeing representative will sign for the manufacturer.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita will attend as the chief guest, while Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman will be present as guest of honour and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat and Prime Minister’s Adviser M Humayun Kabir as special guests.

Biman Board Chairman Rumee A. Hossain will host the event, a Biman official said, adding that US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen will also attend the ceremony.

Under the proposed agreement, Biman will purchase 14 new aircraft including eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and four Boeing 737-8 MAX jets - with an estimated list value of around US$3.7 billion (Tk 37,000 crore).

Officials said the order is designed to modernise Biman’s fleet, expand long-haul capacity and strengthen regional operations at a time when Bangladesh’s passenger demand continues to rise.

The wide-body Dreamliners are expected to reinforce services to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, while the 737 MAX aircraft would help support regional and short-haul routes.

The expected signing comes as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s third terminal nears launch, a development widely seen as central to Bangladesh’s ambition of becoming a stronger regional aviation hub.

Three-year Boeing-Airbus battle ends

The deal is also expected to conclude more than three years of fierce competition between Boeing and European rival Airbus for Biman’s next major fleet order.

Airbus had gained momentum in 2023 after high-level European engagement, including discussions linked to French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit and references in a Bangladesh-UK joint statement to a possible purchase of 10 Airbus A350 aircraft, including freighters.

European officials argued that introducing Airbus aircraft would diversify Biman’s all-Boeing fleet and deepen economic ties with the European Union.

Boeing, however, mounted an intensive push to retain its long-standing dominance, offering Dreamliners, freighter options and narrow-body aircraft while maintaining sustained engagement with Dhaka policymakers.

Trade diplomacy in the backdrop

The timing of the deal also carries broader diplomatic significance.

Bangladesh and the United States have been engaged in discussions over trade imbalance, tariff access and export competitiveness, with senior officials in recent months openly indicating that higher imports of US aircraft, energy and technology could help improve the trade climate.

Though officially framed as a commercial transaction, analysts say the purchase also reflects a wider strategic effort to deepen economic ties with Washington.