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Private carrier US-Bangla Airlines is set to make the largest fleet expansion in Bangladesh’s aviation history by adding 21 brand-new Boeing 737-8 aircraft to its fleet in 2027 through an investment of US$1.11 billion (around Tk 14,000 crore).
The aircraft will be acquired from five of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies, according to a letter sent by US-Bangla Airlines to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.
The airline will formally announce the landmark acquisition at a joint Boeing-US-Bangla event in Dhaka on July 29. Boeing’s Vice President, the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, senior executives of international aircraft leasing companies and leading representatives from the aviation and tourism sectors are expected to attend.
According to the airline, the expansion is aimed at transforming Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet into regional aviation hubs by significantly expanding direct connectivity to destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
US-Bangla described the acquisition as more than a commercial investment, saying it represents a major milestone for Bangladesh’s aviation industry and reflects the country’s growing potential in regional air transport.
Aviation expert Kazi Wahidul Alam termed the initiative a historic achievement, noting that no government or private airline in Bangladesh has ever undertaken such a large fleet expansion in a single phase.
“This reflects long-term strategic planning and will significantly strengthen the country’s aviation sector,” he said.
He added that expanding the airline’s international network would boost tourism, trade, exports and foreign investment while creating substantial employment opportunities for pilots, engineers, cabin crew and other aviation professionals.
Several stakeholders said foreign carriers currently dominate Bangladesh’s international passenger market, resulting in a significant outflow of foreign currency each year. Strengthening local airlines, they said, would increase the market share of Bangladeshi carriers, reduce dependence on foreign operators, conserve foreign exchange and stimulate wider economic activity.
Experts estimate that the induction of 21 new aircraft will require thousands of additional skilled personnel, including pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, dispatchers, cabin crew, ground handling staff and other technical professionals.
Former Bangladesh Air Force Wing Commander and aviation expert ATM Nazrul Islam also welcomed the investment, describing it as a landmark development for the country’s private aviation industry.
He, however, emphasised that careful route planning, effective fleet utilisation and aligning aircraft capacity with market demand would be essential to ensuring the long-term commercial success of the expansion.
Insiders said only five airlines worldwide added as many as 21 aircraft to their fleets in a single calendar year in 2026. With the planned induction in 2027, US-Bangla, Bangladesh’s first IATA-certified private airline, is expected to rank among the world’s leading airlines in terms of annual fleet expansion.
