US Bangla to add 21 Boeing aircraft to its fleet

Syed Bashir Ahmed, Staff Correspondent: US Bangla is set to add 21 Boeing aircraft to its fleet by 2027 with an investment of around Tk 19,000 crore. The private airline announced the addition of new aircraft at a function in Dhaka on Wednesday (July 29) morning. Chief guest at the function, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said that the government is always there to support the private sector. The government is working on the aviation sector as a master plan. As part of this, a pilot training academy will be set up in Bogra. Moreover, when the third terminal is operational, it will have the capacity to carry about 25 million passengers a year. At that time, the addition of 21 Boeing aircraft to US Bangla will make the travel of passengers easier. Private airline US Bangla has been providing passenger services in Bangladesh's airspace for more than a decade. A total of 21 Boeings, including 15 Boeing 737-8s and 6 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation, are going to be added to the airline's fleet with an investment of about 17 thousand crore taka. This investment in buying Boeing will not only enrich US Bangla but also the aviation sector of Bangladesh and create new employment opportunities, believes Air Vice Marshal Md. Mustafa Siddique, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. At the event, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Managing Director of US-Bangla Group and US-Bangla Airlines, said that about 70 percent of passengers in the country's international airspace market are still carried by foreign airlines. By adding new aircraft, the capacity of domestic airlines on international routes will increase significantly and it will be possible to keep a large part of foreign exchange in the country. Our goal is not just to operate a successful airline; Rather, US-Bangla is to become a full-fledged global aviation group. The plan to expand international routes, create skilled manpower, build an integrated aviation ecosystem including cargo, MRO, flight catering and aviation training will be implemented through the addition of new aircraft. He said that by prioritizing the needs of expatriate Bangladeshis to add new aircraft, this private airline will increase the number of flights on various existing routes in South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Middle East by 2027. In addition, there are plans to operate flights to several new international destinations including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Colombo, Kathmandu, Jahur Bahru, Penang, Kunming, Shenzhen, Beijing, South Korea, Japan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Medina, Dammam and Salalah. He also said that he also highlighted the plan to develop Chittagong and Sylhet as international regional hubs. To this end, initiatives will be taken to operate direct international flights from these regions to various destinations in the Middle East and South Asia by permanently deploying new Boeing aircraft. For the sustainable development of the aviation industry in Bangladesh, new airports, competitive policies, creation of skilled manpower, modern MRO facilities and establishment of international standard aviation training centers are very important. It was informed at the event that US-Bangla has already taken the initiative to train pilots and aircraft engineers with its own funding. In addition, work is also underway to establish an international standard aviation training center in Purbachal and a state-of-the-art flight catering center in Bangladesh.