TDS Desk:

The government has announced plans to purchase 25 new aircraft from US aerospace giant Boeing, a deal aimed at consolidating the country’s nearly Tk 1 lakh crore export market in the United States, Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said today.

The deal, scheduled to be signed tomorrow, is expected to cost between Tk 30,000 crore and Tk 35,000 crore. While the US initially offered 47 aircraft, the government has opted to proceed with 25 for now.

“The interim government is completing this deal to ensure that the incoming elected government can operate without additional pressure,” Bashir said at a briefing at the Secretariat.

Details of the agreement, including terms and conditions, will be disclosed after the signing, he added.

The adviser also highlighted ongoing negotiations with the US to reduce tariffs on Bangladeshi products. “Our exports to the US were initially subjected to a 37 percent tariff, which we managed to reduce to 20 percent through negotiations,” he said.

Bangladesh’s key export, ready-made garment products, is a focal point in discussions to bring duties down to zero.

Bashir said Bangladesh was the only country whose agreement details were publicly disclosed internationally, causing complications during prior negotiations.

“Had the agreement not been made public, I firmly believe we could have secured an even lower rate,” he said.