US-Bangla plans to add 21 Boeing jets to fleet

The private aviation giant US-Bangla Airlines is set to make aviation history in 2027 by investing $1.11 billion to induct 21 new Boeing 737-8s, the largest fleet expansion ever undertaken by a Bangladeshi private airline.

The airline will acquire the aircraft from five of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies under an investment worth nearly Tk 14,000 crore, according to a letter sent by US-Bangla Airlines to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority executive chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.

The aircraft induction will be formally announced at a joint Boeing-US-Bangla event in Dhaka on July 29 in the presence of Boeing’s vice-president, the US ambassador in Dhaka, senior executives of international aircraft leasing companies and leading figures from the aviation and tourism sectors.

According to the letter, the fleet expansion is aimed at transforming Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet into regional aviation hubs by operating flights from the three international airports to destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

US-Bangla described the acquisition as more than a commercial expansion, calling it a landmark investment in Bangladesh’s aviation sector.
Aviation expert Kazi Wahidul Alam termed the initiative a historic milestone for the country’s aviation industry.

"No government or private airline in Bangladesh has previously undertaken fleet expansion on such a scale at one time. It is a major achievement for US-Bangla Airlines and reflects long-term planning," he said.

He said that the expansion of the airline’s international network would contribute to economic growth, tourism, exports and foreign investment while creating significant employment opportunities for pilots, engineers and aviation support personnel.

Industry stakeholders said foreign airlines currently dominate a large share of Bangladesh’s international air transport market, resulting in substantial outflows of foreign currency each year.

They said that strengthening the capacity of local carriers would increase the participation of Bangladeshi airlines on international routes, reduce dependence on foreign airlines, save foreign exchange and stimulate domestic economic activity.

Experts said that the addition of 21 aircraft would require a large workforce, including pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, cabin crew, dispatchers, ground handling staff and other technical personnel, creating thousands of new jobs in the aviation sector.

Former Bangladesh Air Force wing commander and aviation expert ATM Nazrul Islam welcomed the investment, describing it as a significant milestone for the country’s private aviation industry.

He, however, stressed the importance of careful route planning and matching aircraft capacity with market demand to ensure the long-term commercial success of the expansion.

Industry sources said only five airlines worldwide added as many as 21 new aircraft to their fleets in a single calendar year in 2026. With the planned induction in 2027, US-Bangla, the first IATA-certified private airline in Bangladesh, is expected to rank among the airlines adding the highest number of new aircraft globally in a single year.