Biman Plans to Lease 10 Aircraft by 2027

Utilizing modern advancements in science and technology to boost capacity and expand international routes, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has designed a major fleet expansion plan. This decision to source aircraft from the international lease market has been made to bridge the interim capacity shortage before newly purchased Boeing planes join the fleet starting from 2031.

Today, Sunday, July 19, 2026, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat disclosed this new plan of Biman to the media.

M. Rashiduzzaman Millat stated, "We are planning to lease 10 aircraft within this year. As a result, we will be able to increase the number of flights on various international routes. Besides, it will also be possible to expand services to new destinations." He further informed that the government is emphasizing transparency in the leasing process, and steps have been taken to appoint an international consultant to oversee it, for which around 40 applications have already been received.

As part of this initiative, Biman has already invited international proposals on July 15 via a Request for Proposal or RFP to take three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on a six-year dry lease. Under the dry lease system, Biman will lease the aircraft without crew, maintenance, or insurance, and will operate them under its own Air Operator Certificate. The deadline for proposal submission is August 9, with January 1, 2027, set as the preferred delivery date.

This leasing initiative is completely separate from Biman's planned purchase of 14 new Boeing aircraft worth approximately 3.7 billion USD, expected to be delivered between 2031 and 2035. Currently, Biman has 19 aircraft in its fleet, including four Boeing 777-300ER, four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, four Boeing 737, and five Dash 8-Q400 turboprop aircraft. As a long-term strategy, the Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Afroza Khanam and State Minister Millat recently held a meeting with European Union diplomats to explore procuring Airbus aircraft.

Simultaneously, the private sector is also boosting its capacity. US-Bangla Airlines plans to lease 21 Boeing 737-8 aircraft in 2027 under a 1.11 billion USD expansion program. Commenting on this, aviation analyst ATM Nazrul Islam stated, "Competition is ongoing between local and foreign airlines to capture a large share of Bangladesh's growing international passenger market. In this situation, securing suitable aircraft at competitive lease rates will be crucial for Biman."
//DBTech/AD/DPO//