Bangladesh has announced plans to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft from the United States as part of an effort to reduce its trade deficit, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman confirmed on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, Rahman explained that the purchase was made from Boeing, a private company, not the U.S. government. He also noted that other countries, including India, Vietnam, and Indonesia, were making similar aircraft purchases, with India and Vietnam each ordering 100 planes, and Indonesia 50.
“Previously, we had placed an order for 14 aircraft. Now, we’ve increased that order by 25 to help reduce the trade imbalance,” Rahman said.
He added that Boeing would supply the aircraft according to its production capacity, meaning deliveries could take one to two years.
Secretary Rahman also mentioned that the third and final round of tariff talks between the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and Bangladesh would be held on July 29-30. Bangladesh had submitted its position paper on the matter on July 23.
Rahman, along with Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin and Chief Adviser’s Representative Khalilur Rahman, will be in Washington for the talks. The delegation is set to depart for the U.S. on Monday evening.
The upcoming discussions will also cover soybean and cotton imports. Private importers in Bangladesh are looking to buy soybean directly from U.S. exporters, hoping for a favorable agreement. Additionally, Rahman highlighted that cotton imports had been finalized, though their value had decreased from $1.8 billion three years ago. Efforts are underway to return cotton imports to previous levels, which would reduce the trade deficit by $1 billion.
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