Buying boeing as Trump wanted: Aviation Minister

During the Awami League government, Bangladesh had announced an in-principle decision to purchase 10 Airbus aircraft. However, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in the July uprising and amid tariff pressure from US President Donald Trump, Bangladesh ultimately placed an aircraft order with US-based Boeing.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said the purchase was being made in line with President Trump’s request.

Speaking at a coordination meeting of the Mymensingh district administration on Monday, the minister said, “Trump asked our honourable prime minister for one thing: ‘Use our Boeings.’ We are doing that; we are buying them. We are buying 14 Boeings, and we will lease more.”

However, Bangladesh will not limit its aircraft purchases to Boeing, he said, adding that the country would also buy aircraft from Airbus following pressure from European countries.

“We are also buying, and will buy, Airbus aircraft manufactured in France, England and Germany. We will expand everything and make things better,” he said.
Millat, the lawmaker for Jamalpur-1 (Dewanganj-Bakshiganj), was assigned on 27 August to oversee and coordinate government activities in Mymensingh, Sherpur and Netrokona.

Amid considerable discussion over the aircraft purchase, Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing on 30 April to purchase 14 aircraft. The aircraft are expected to cost $3.7 billion, or Tk45,408 crore, calculated at an exchange rate of Tk122.73 per dollar. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the aircraft in phases between 2031 and 2035.

Call for Greater Accountability
At the meeting, Minister Millat also spoke about the responsibility of government officials.
“We will develop the country. Everyone must fulfil their respective responsibilities. I will fulfil mine. If everyone simply becomes responsible for their own duties, nothing else is needed,” he said.

Referring to the previous government, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was currently working 18 hours a day. He claimed that many government officials had been compelled to follow orders under the previous government, even when those directives involved actions that were against public interests.
“Now we want to undertake people-friendly work. To do that, all of you will have to make some sacrifices,” he said.

He added that officials should develop a mindset in which failing to perform their responsibilities would make them feel ashamed, which would encourage them to work more actively and willingly within their respective areas of responsibility.
Speaking about his own responsibilities, Millat said he would make every possible effort to develop Mymensingh, Sherpur and Netrokona by working with local MPs, administrators and government officials.
“I do not know how much I will be able to accomplish, but I will give 100% effort for you—for the development of these areas and to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” he said.

Addressing government officials, the minister said elected representatives would lose public support if they failed to perform their duties properly.
He also called on politicians to learn lessons from the previous government.
“If Sheikh Hasina’s departure happened in this way and we politicians do not learn from it, Bangladesh will never learn,” he said.

Millat criticised what he described as coercive and authoritarian practices under the previous government, including forcing officials to carry out tasks and issuing orders in an autocratic manner. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman wanted to reject such practices and work in the opposite direction, with the support of government officials.