Photo: Collected
The government has signed a deal to buy 11 new aircraft from US-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing to further expand the country’s air transport sector. Mahdi Amin, adviser to the prime minister, gave this information.
He presented the matter of the deal at a press conference held in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel in New York on Tuesday evening local time.
Mahdi Amin said, ‘An important deal signing ceremony was held with Boeing today. There, Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed a deal to buy 11 more Boeing aircraft.’
He said high-level representatives of the US government were present at the ceremony. Among them were US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur, along with the officials concerned.
According to Mahdi Amin, this initiative to buy new aircraft has been taken keeping in mind the need to expand the country’s air transport sector. Mentioning Bangladesh’s long-standing commercial relationship with Boeing, he said talks could also be held with Airbus in future if necessary.
Saying Bangladesh will buy aircraft according to demand, he said, ‘Bangladesh’s aviation sector is growing, and there are also plans to launch newer routes. That is why new aircraft are needed.’ He also said a Boeing delegation later paid a courtesy call on the prime minister.
Giving details of the various programmes of the prime minister’s UN visit at the press conference, Mahdi Amin said that on the second day of the visit the prime minister took part in several meetings on various issues including health, agriculture, the Rohingya crisis, climate change, regional stability and bilateral relations.
He said that in the meeting with the Gates Foundation, there were discussions on increasing cooperation in the health and agriculture sectors, the use of technology for farmers, raising agricultural productivity and building vaccine production capacity in the country.
On the Rohingya issue, Mahdi Amin said an important event on the Rohingya crisis was held on the sidelines of the UN at the joint initiative of Bangladesh and The Gambia, where representatives of different countries and international organisations took part.
He said the cooperation of the international community is needed to ensure the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas. Alongside this, emphasis was also placed on improving the law and order situation in Myanmar and ensuring accountability for the persecution of the Rohingyas.
Mahdi Amin said there are currently more than 12 lakh Rohingyas in Bangladesh. As international assistance for them has declined, pressure on Bangladesh is increasing. In this situation, more cooperation from the international community is needed.
He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a meeting with the prime minister of Croatia. There, discussions were held on further strengthening the two countries’ relations in various fields including trade, investment and migration.
Mahdi Amin said the prime minister also held a meeting with the president of Iran.
In reply to a journalist’s question about the ongoing tension in the Middle East, he said Bangladesh is in favour of a peaceful solution. If necessary, Bangladesh can play a role in creating a path for dialogue from a friendly and neutral position.
He said Bangladesh has important partners in the Middle East. Considering the impact the conflict is having on energy, trade and expatriate Bangladeshis, the need for a peaceful solution was highlighted in the discussions.
On climate change, he said the prime minister has presented Bangladesh’s position in the international arena on ensuring climate finance for climate-vulnerable countries. Plans to reduce carbon emissions through the excavation of rivers and canals, tree plantation, increased use of renewable and solar energy, and electric vehicles were also conveyed.
In reply to a question about the role of China and India in Rohingya repatriation, Mahdi Amin said Bangladesh is maintaining contact with the countries and partners concerned at both levels – bilateral and multilateral.
He said China is an important development partner of Bangladesh and high-level talks are under way with the country to resolve the Rohingya crisis. At the same time, he said, the path of contact and dialogue is being kept open with all parties concerned, including Myanmar.
Mahdi Amin said, ‘In diplomacy, all doors and all options have to be kept open. The path of dialogue can never be closed.’
Saying two more days of programmes remain in the prime minister’s four-day UN visit, he said the prime minister will deliver his speech in Bangla at the UN General Assembly session tomorrow.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, Shama Obaed, the prime minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, along with members of the prime minister’s press wing, were present at the press conference.
