Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed agreements to buy 35 aircraft, splitting orders between 25 Boeing and 10 Airbus jets to expand beyond its existing fleet of 19 planes.

The procurement accelerated even as former Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam urged an integrated revenue assessment on April 22, just eight days before Biman agreed to purchase 14 Boeing jets.

Biman added 11 more Boeing aircraft on September 23 and signed for 10 Airbus planes on October 7, while facing unpaid claims exceeding Tk 7,000 crore from CAAB and Padma Oil.

The rapid acquisition pipeline contrasts sharply with Biman’s accumulated domestic balance-sheet arrears. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) holds Tk 5,842.91 crore in outstanding dues and surcharges against the airline as of August, while state-owned Padma Oil reported an additional Tk 1,232.71 crore in unpaid jet fuel bills.

State authorities intend for Biman to finance the purchases through operating cash flow with the government acting as guarantor. Default on those obligations would shift payment liabilities directly to public finances, an exposure compounded by the absence of published route-by-route viability audits.

“The real burden will be in the end borne by the taxpayers of the country,” said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, citing the absence of financial disclosures and procurement clarity.

Fleet planning took place after commercial commitments were already executed. Biman issued a tender on October 25 seeking external consultants to evaluate fleet integration, route profitability, aircraft retirements, and funding structures, setting a submission deadline of November 6.

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