RASHIDUL HASAN

Biman directors have accepted in principle a proposal to buy 10 Airbus planes.

The planes include two freighters, the purchase of them will be first for the national flag carrier.

The Biman Board of Directors made the decision at a meeting on Wednesday in the hope that Biman will operate on more international routes than the current 20.

M Mahbub Ali, state minister for civil aviation, said the Biman directors accepted an offer from Airbus for two freighters.

“Airbus has given us an approximate price. Now our technical committee members will sit together and discuss,” he told The Daily Star.

“We have expressed [to Airbus] our intention to buy 10 planes in phases,” he said, adding that Airbus is likely to deliver the first two planes in 2026 or 2027.

Contacted, a Biman director said, “Our main target is to get two freighters from Airbus as we have a huge demand for shipping cargo.”

Large amounts of garment products, pharmaceutical items and perishable goods are shipped to different destinations every day, the official said.

“Fourteen foreign airlines operating cargo services have grabbed the market. But Biman has not been able to earn money because it does not have a cargo plane.”